
/,.//- erSindetO- Ph 






C. B. ZIEBER aC9 PH 



TEXAS 



AM) 



THE GULF OF MEXICO; 



OR. 



YACHTING IN THE NEW WORLD. 



*]rL c. 



BY 



MRS. HOUSTOUxX. 
A 




PHILADELPHIA: 

G. B. Z I E B E R & CO. 
1845. 



C. SHERMAN, PRI.NTEU. 



- I 



^A^^ 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

Departure from Blackwall — The Schooner- Yacht " Dolphin" 
— Bay of Biscay — " Strong breezes and squally" — Nancy, 
the black woman - - - - - - 13 



CHAPTER II. 

First view of Madeira— Fnnchal — Inhabitants — Vegetation — 
Vintage — The Coural — Sugar-cane — Invalids — Climate — A 
Madeira goat — Bad conduct of three of the crew - 19 



CHAPTER III. 

Departure for the West Indies — Peak of Teneriffe — Dead 
calm — Employment of the crew — Sunday — Barbadoes — 
Trade-winds — Dearness of provisions, &c. — Frogs and grass- 
hoppers — Bridgetown — " Miss Betsey Austin" - 28 

CHAPTER IV. 

Storm at Sea — Lightning — Flying-Fish — Iron Lighthouse — 
Jamaica — Port-Royal — Harbour — Earthquake of 1692 — 

1* 



VI CONTENTS. 

Pirates — Commodore Byiig's House — Wallace, the New- 
foundland Dog — Musquiiops — Coloured and While Popula- 
tion — Spanish Town — The Queen's House — Kingston — 
Unwholesome Climate — Vultures — Superstition — " The 
Doctor" — Sally Adams — Departure - - - 40 



CHAPTER V. 

Cape Corrientes — Squally — The Mississippi — Balize — Cat-fish 
— An odd Character — Rifle Shooting — River Scenery — 
Thick Fo? 61 



CHAPTER VI. 

New Orleans — The Harbour — Texan Commodore — The Hotel 
of St. Charles — Busy scene on the strand — American man- 
ners and customs — Eligible situation of New Orleans — 
Population of the State of Louisiana — Yellow Fever — Na- 
tional education — Departure from New Orleans - 73 



CHAPTER VII. 

Sail for the Gulf of Texas — Galveston — Difficulty of crossing 
the bar at the mouth of the harbour — Captain Elliott — 
Texas, its position, resources, and extent - - 91 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Political position of Texas during the first years of her colo- 
nization — Events which were the more immediate cause of 
her Declaration of Independance .... 99 



CONTENTS. vii 



CHAPTER IX. 

Progress of the struggle for Texan Independence— Declaration 
of the people of Texas in General Convention assembled— 
Cruelty of General Santa Anna— Battle of San Jacinto— 
Total rout of the Mexican army - . . . no 



CHAPTER X. 

Santa Anna brought prisoner to General Houston— Termina- 
tion of the struggle, and recognition of the Republic- 
Constitution of Texas ]17 



CHAPTER XI. 

The island of Galveston— Curious mode of building houses— 
Six-roomed house built in a week— Go-ahead career of the 
Texans _ 122 



CHAPTER XTI. 

The public press— Courtesy of the Texans— Dry stores— Im- 
portant position in society of the pig— The turn-out house- 
Chewing and spitting— Climate— Comic scene in crossing a 
Baj'ou— French emigrants— Idiot girl - . . 126 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Sporting in Texas— Provisions— Bogs— Deer-shooting— The 
Mustang, or wild horse— Fish— Galveston fort— Improvi- 
dence of the Texans— Return to New Orleans - * 137 



Vm CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Lighthouse at the entrance of the Mississippi — Winter scenery 
of its banks — Extreme cold — Visit to the shore — Venomous 
snake — Ran on board by a steamer — Arrival at New Orleans 
— Amusement of the inhabitants ... - 147 



CHAPTER XV. 

Florida Indians — Their habits — Party of prisoners — The chief, 
"Tiser-Tail" 156 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Public carriages — Negro slaves — Their habits and customs — 
Absence of religions feelings and observance at New Orleans 
— Favourite sports — Stoppage of" a bank — American crimps 
— Methodical habits of the citizens — Commerce of New 
Orleans 162 



CHAPTER XVIL 

Mr. Clay, the popular orator — General remarks on American 
society and manners — Departure from New Orleans 17 



r"^ 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Second arrival at Galveston — Texan news — The Ellen Frank- 
land steamer's voyage up the Trinity river — Its importance — 
State of commerce — Capacity of Galveston harbour — False 
accounts of crime in Texas — Fortune-getting propensity 183 



CONTEXTS. i;5 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Sufferings of emigrants— Texas an advantageous field for 
settlers— Climate— Productions of the country— Disadvan- 
tages 192 



CHAPTER XX. 

Patience and Perseverance indispensable to a settler in a new 
country— Story of a young emigrant's sufferings - 198 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Abundance of game— Severe northers peculiar to the Gulf of 
Mexico— Gradual encroachment of land upon the sea- 
Heavy swell on the bar— Different classes of titles to land 
—Texas peculiarly adapted for breeding stock - 2U6 



CPIAPTER XXII. 

History and character of General Houston, President of Texas 
—Run for the Presuiency—Whitliing— Discomfort of ira vei- 
ling in Texas 212 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Commencement of an excursion up ihe counlry— The Hoiislon 
steamer— Her passengers— The town of Houston— Tavern 
fore at Houston— Start for the prairie - - - 219 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Scenery of the prairie — Free and easy manners of the inn- 
keeper's son — Indians of ihe Lipan tril^e — Letter of condo- 
lence to the Lipans on the death of their chief - 225 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Dangers of travelling in the prairie — Last evening at HoTislon 
— Severe frost — Return from Houston to Galveston — Tlie 
opossum — Political conferences and discussion on the slave- 
trade — Slave-owners sufferers bv iis continuance - 230 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Character of tlie negro slave — Probability of freedom being 
granted by the whites — The tariff— A city in embryo — 
Return to the yacht 238 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

Severe norther — The rattlesnake, &c. — Humming-birds — Sum- 
mary mode of ejecting abolitionists from Galveston — Na- 
tional Guard — Burying-ground — Texan duel — Facility of 
obtaining a divorce — Agreeable present on the last day of 
our slay — Good wishes to the republic - - - 243 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Departure from Galveston forHavanna — Severe gale — Appear- 
ance of the sea under its infiuence — Dangerous navigation of 



CONTENTS. 

XI 

the Gulf of Florida-Incidents on board the yacht-Arrival 
at Havanna-Moro CastJo-The bay-Visit of the Spam.l 
authormes-D,nner on shore at the Consul-General's- I a 
of the chmate-Manners, habi.s, and amusemen s o tte 
ladies-Visit to the Captain-General Valdez - 25I 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

""iTr'creor °^^^"'--C«rce-CrueI treatn.ent of 

1nUn7?u 1^7^'"''^' "^ '''" Ma.anzas-Anticpaied re- 

'tZc " P;P;^'^fn-E-l-ive s,ate of soc.etyl 

S^ugar Counts -Annnais, birds, noxious insects, and rep- 

scenery-Cuba nidebted for its prosperity to Viceroy Tacon 
-Plaza de Toros-The Cathedral - . . ! 265 



CHAPTER XXX. 

Magnificence of private houses-Ceremonies of the Hoi V Week 

FrZ^RtT" "^PL7'-n«-Fruits-H,gh ren,s-Good 
thp7.^~? r"?'"^''""""^ of Tacon-Dance on board 
the flag-ship-Our last evening at Havanna - . 272 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

^HaTnuL'T ^^7'^— ^---^^- ^^'- George's harbour- 
Hani.lton-Berm,Klu.n popuial.on-Whale.fishing-Deli.xht- 

rJr England ^^^ '' ^-'--"-^reland harbour-Depar.ure 

280 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



The Azores — Terceira — Appearance of Fayal from the sea 
— Scilly Islands — Eddystone Lighthouse — Portland — The 
North Foreland — Conclusion 286 



TEXAS 

AND 

THE GULF OF MEXICO. 



CHAPTER I. 

Departure from Blackwall.— The Schooner- Yacht " Dolphin." 
—Bay of Biscay.—" Strong breezes and squally."— Nancy, 
the black woman. 

Vieil ocean, dans tes rivages 
Flotte comme un ciel ecumant, 
Plus orageux que les nuages, 
Plus lumineux qu'un firmament ! 
Pendant que les empires naissent, 
Grandissent, tombent, disparaissent 
Avec leurs generations, 
Dresse tes bouillonnantes cretes, 
Bats ta rive ! el dis aux tempetes ; 
Ou sent les nids des nations ? 

De Lamartine. 

Who has not seen and admired the remarkable and 
interesting coup d'oeil from the windows of the Trafalgar 
Hotel at Blackwall ? It was on a bright afternoon earlj 
in September that I was seated in one of its cheerful 

2 



14 TEXAS AND THE 

rooms looking out on the broad river, and the busy 
steamers passing to and fro. It was my last evening 
before leaving England. We were about, if I may so 
express it, to take up our abode for the next twelve 
months on the bosom of the Ocean ; our intention being 
to cross the Atlantic, and to visit a large part of the 
American Continent. 

I always feel, before setting out on a long land journey, 
something approaching to depression of spirits ; but on 
this occasion the entire novelty of the expedition pre- 
vented the attack, and my pleasurable anticipations were 
almost unalloyed. It was a voyage undertaken prin- 
cipally in search of health for me, and I was bound to 
be pleased with the arrangements made for my com- 
fort. The sun had nearly set when I walked to the West 
India Dock, in which the Dolphin was lying ; I could 
scarcely make her out in the dusky twilight, and this 
was my first introduction to my future home. 

The Yacht had been often described to me, and yet I 
was surprised at the size of her cabins, and the extreme 
comfort of her internal arrangements. 

I was met by the Master and the Doctor, and on going 
below found a most enjoyable state cabin, quantities of 
books, and in short every enjoyment wliich a reasonable 
woman could require. My own cabin was large, with 
two sofas, the bed being a swinging cot, which was taken 
down in the daytime. My first night on board was spent 
in the docks, as we intended to leave them at daybreak. 
No ships I believe ever sail, when tlicy ought to do so, or 
rather at the time originally fixed lor their departure ; 
and to this rule, ours was no exception. The middle of 
August was the time when we had intended to liave 
taken our leave of England ; but so many alterations, 
and improvements had been required for the vessel, that 
the 13th of September had arrived before we were in 
readiness to leave Blackwall. 

The schooner-yacht Dolphin is two hundred and nine- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 15 

teen tons burthen, drawing twelve feet water, and mea- 
^suring one hundred feet in length: she carries six guns, 
and her crew consisted of eleven men, one boy, a car- 
penter, cook, and cook's mate; the otlier persons on 
board were tlic master and surgeon, the mate, steward, 
and steward's mate, and my own maid. We had also 
with us a negress, a native of St. Thomas in the West 
Indies, who had been stewardess in one of the West 
India steamers, and who was to attend on me till my 
own maid became accustomed to the sea. We were in 
all four and twenty souls on board, and were bound for 
Madeira as our first resting-place. 

It was on the morning of the 13th of September 1843, 
tliat, after being hooked on to a steamer, we were tugged' 
rapidly down the river. The weather was fine, as it 
generally is in the beginning of this most pleasant of 
months in the English climate ; the morning air was 
clear, bright, and bracing, and ere we reached Gravesend 
a fresh breeze sprung up from tlie westward, which was 
just what we wanted. Immediately all sail was made, 
and having dismissed our little steamer, the Dolphin was' 
soon scudding along, at the rate of ten knots an hour. 
Before dark we were off Dover, and had put our pilot into 
his boat. We were becalmed a w^hole day off the Isle of 
Wight : this was tedious enough certainly, but still it was 
pleasant to look a little longer on the land we were 
leaving for so long a period, and I could not help think- 
ing, as I gazed on the lovely Island, how doubtful it was, 
if, in my wanderings to the far West, I should see any 
to compare witli it. But with all my romantic admiration 
for the shores of England, I confess"^I was not sorry when 
towards evening a breeze sprung up, taking advantage of 
which we crowded sail, and soon lost sight of the coast. 
Our departure having been so long delayed was the cause 
of considerable inconvenience to us, for on the 21st the 
moon changed ; and, as we had been led to expect, there 
arose a gale of wind that certainly surprised me. 



16 TEXAS AND THE 

I did not consider myself quite a fresh-water sailor. I 
liad frequently undertaken short voyages before, had 
yachted in the Mediterranean, and in the Channel, and 
steamed in various directions near home, but the Bay of 
Biscay was new to me, and nothing that I had ever be- 
fore encountered had at all prepared me for what we 
were to undergo. It was a short pitching sea, with a 
head wind, called in the log book, " strong breezes and 
squally," but which I thought at the time were tremen- 
dous gales. Sails were reefed constantly, while occasion- 
ally a barque or schooner scudded past us, too much 
engaged in attending to her own safety to take any 
notice of us. I was at first surprised at the calmness 
and composure of the ship's crew, entertaining as I did a 
private opinion of my own that we were in imminent 
peril. I kept my fears to myself, however, and learnt to 
know better in time. 

How ill, and miserable, many of our party looked 
when the wind first began to freshen ! Till now, the sea 
had been calm as a summer lake, but we had at last to 
bid adieu to all the pleasurable sensations of fine weather 
sailing. The very dogs looked wretched, and instead of 
gambolling about, and enjoying in common with our- 
selves the novelty of the scene, they flung themselves 
heavily down, against the side, and when disturbed again 
by the violent motion of the ship, rolled uneasily and 
restlessly along the deck in search of some safer berth. 
The poor doctor was I think the greatest sufferer ; it was 
really melancholy to see him, doubled up under the bul- 
warks, and obliged as he said, if he attempted to move, 
to stick to every thing that came in his way, like a leech. 
He bore his troubles with exemplary patience, as indeed 
we all did, and like every thing else, they came to an 
end at last. I was happy enough not to suffer myself, 
but my maid was a wretched prey to the distressing 
malady of sea-sickness. I believe there never yet existed 
a lady's maid who was not ; though I have never yet been 



GULF OF MEXICO. 17 

able, either from pliysical or natural causes, to decide 
satisfactorily why it should be so.* 

Sept. 22d. Fresh gales, and squally, with rain, two 
reefs in topsail, mainsail triced up, and very heavy swell. 
A fearful night succeeded to this stormy day. A night 
not to be forgotten ; at least by me, for in the course of 
it, an event occurred, which stamped its horrors on my 
imagination. 

The wind being adverse, wc were constantly obliged to 
"wear ship," and when this operation was going forward, 
great care was required, and every precaution taken to 
prevent such articles of furniture, &.C., from getting adrift 
as were not lashed to the deck, or otherwise rendered im- 
movable. When we were not prepared for the natural 
consequences of tacking, the tremendous lurches of the 
vessel set every thing, to say nothing of ourselves, rolling 
about in mad confusion. 

Towards the morning of the 23d, when the uproar was 
at its height, sails changing, men rushing along the deck, 
the wind veering about in all directions, and the conse- 
quent evolutions in full operation, my maid staggered into 
my cabin, pale as a ghost, and wringing her hands, " Oh 
ma'am, the captain says, we are going to turn over 1" 
This was really an awfiil piece of information, conveyed 
too so suddenly : it tallied, moreover, with my ov/n silent 
fears, and I confess that, at first, I fully shared in' the 
panic. 

A minute's reflection, and the still more consoling fact 
that wc continued to remain afloat, showed me the ab- 
surdity of fear. After all, the whole affair proceeded 
from an attention on tlie part of the master, who before 

* Here I must take the opportunity of remarking, for 
the benefit of the world in general, and had sailors in 
particular, that the most popular dish at this time was 
currie ; it seemed to answer the purposes both of food and 
medicine. 



1 8 TEXAS AND THE 

giving the order to " bout ship," had sent to apprise me of 
his intention, that I might not be taken by surprise. The 
message had, however, gone from mate to boatswain, 
boatswain to steward, &c., till, hke all tilings conveyed 
through many hands, it became distorted, and by the 
time it reached my ears, had arrived at the appalling an- 
nouncement that we were going to the bottom. 

One good result we perceived from the gale, disagreea- 
ble, and frightful enough as it was. It cured every one 
on board of sea-sickness. I accounted for this by sup- 
posing it the effect of the comitcr-irritation system : and 
that the overpowering evil of mental anxiety, removed the 
lesser one of corporeal vmeasiness. 

Some little time before Madeira appeared in sight, the 
weather moderated, and we all began to cheer up ; the 
dogs shook themselves and lay down in the sun to dry ; 
the idlers put on a thin semi-nautical costume, and Nancy, 
the black woman, who had been, however, any thing but 
useful during the gales, came upon deck to warm herself. 
In fine weather, she was to be seen standing on the steps 
of the companion ladder, listening to the rough jokes of 
the sailors, with her shining black face just above the 
hatchway. She was evidently a favourite with the men, 
and I was oflen amused to sec her standing there, show- 
ing every white tooth in her head, as she grinned a repar- 
tee to her merry tormentors. Nancy was a wit in her 
way, and, though not in her first youth, was certainly 
something of a coquette, and decidedly vain of her re- 
maining attractions. I can see her now sitting on her 
stockingless heels in the forepart of the vessel, with her 
red cotton handkerchief tied over her head, chattering 
faster than any magpie. This was Nancy when the sea 
was calm ; when the wind blew, the case was widely dif- 
ferent, and though born and bred a slave, she thought she 
had as good a right to indulge in sickness and idleness as 
her neighbours. 

The air had daily felt warmer as we proceeded south- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 19 

ward, and the power of the sun by the time wc saw Ma- 
deh-a, was almost too great to be pleasant. I felt glad to 
be spared the chilling changes of an English winter. The 
great merit of the climate of the Madeiras, consists, I be- 
lieve, in its freedom from these great sources of suffering 
and illness to delicate and pulmonary constitutions; It is 
said that while the winter is twenty degrees warmer than 
in London, the summer is only seven warmer. Thus the 
extremes of heat and cold are not nearly so violent as in 
England. The latitude of Lisbon appeared also charm- 
ing, and were it not for the dirt, and other small incon- 
veniences, I suppose that Lisbon would be quite as desi- 
rable a residence for consumptive patients as Madeira ; it 
has certainly the advantage of being nearer home. 

As we ncared the land, I felt that one of the worst 
stages of our voyage was over. The Bay of Biscay once 
passed in safety, the wide Atlantic has but few terrors, 
and I am sufficiently of a sailor to be aware of the great 
advantages of having plenty of sea-room, and no land 
near. 



CHAPTER II. 

First view of Madeira— Fimchal — Inhabitants— Vegetation — 
Vintage — The Coural — Sugar-cane — Invalids — Climate — A 
Madeira goat — Bad conduct of three of the crew. 

A ship in sight I She bears a dismal freight, 
No gay young hearts, with pleasant hopes elate. 

****** 
Here living ghosts gaze up with languid eye. 
And in the fervid sunshine pine and die. 

Old Poem. 

I WAS much struck by the first view of Madeira ; it 
rises up high, black and steep from the sea, and looks at 



20 TEXAS AND THE 

a distance like a huge ruined wall. As you approach 
nearer, however, you perceive with spots of houses on the 
hill-sides, churches, temples, and abrupt ridges of moun- 
tains, on which seem literally svspended the most lovely 
gardens. All this, mingled with the green foliage and 
the almost tropical vegetation, is lovely in the extreme. 

Sept. 26. We brought up in Funchal Roads, in twenty- 
two fathoms water. The weather was extremely hot, at 
least it appeared so to us, though this was the cool season 
at Madeira. I need say nothing of the cordial kindness, 
and unlimited hospitality of the merchants at Funchal ; 
the fact of their liberality and good feeling to strangers 
is too well known to need a comment, and our reception 
furnished but an extra example of its truth. 

A nearer view of Funchal is very amusing to a stranger. 
The shores are crowded with boats, and wild-looking Por- 
tuguese gesticulating and quarrelling. The shape of the 
boats is remarkable, their sterns are so higli and pointed. 
The rowers perform their office in an erect posture, and 
with their faces turned towards the fore part of their craft. 
Children of very tender years, bronzed by the sun into a 
deep copper colour, are swimming about in all directions, 
and quite in deep water. The surface of the sea is 
studded by little black shining heads. In short, the in- 
habitants generally appear to me to partake of an amplii- 
bious nature. 

The houses of Funchal are mostly of a dazzling white, 
which has a very unpleasant effect on the eyes. The 
roofs arc generally flat, but you likewise see man}' turrets 
and steeples. There is an English Episcopal Church, and 
an excellent resident minister. The English Library and 
Reading Club are excellent ; there is, too, a public ball- 
room, which is well attended ; and in the reading-club I 
have before mentioned the amusements of cards and 
billiards may also be enjoyed. 

I have often been surprised at the fondness for dancing 
whicli prevails in hot climates ; the inhabitants seem to 



GULF OF MEXICO. 21 

enjoy this exercise the more, the higher the thermometer 
ranges. I was told, that in Funchal, during the hottest 
months, balls were carried on with unabated spirit till a 
late hour in the morning, and that country-dances and 
Scotch reels were executed with a spirit of enterprise and 
perseverance unknown in our northern latitudes. 

It is indeed a most beautiful, clear, and enlivening 
climate ; nevertheless, I was certainly astonished at the 
decree of vigour which the inhabitants seemed to retain. 
We went on shore in a Portuguese boat, and I had an 
opportunity of comparing, which I always do with pecu- 
liar satisfaction, the superior cleanliness, promptitude, 
skill, and composure of an English sailor over his class 
in every other country. A Portuguese man-of-war lay 
alongside of the Dolphin, and the comparison certainly 
was not in favour of the former. Such hallooing and 
such confusion I never heard, as came wafted to us from 
our neighbours. The officers possessed, 1 am sure, but 
little of the salutary authority necessary to keep sailors 
to their duty. 

We were most kindly received by Mr. Temple, who is 
a resident at Funchal, and gladly remained a week in his 
comfortable house. We spent our time very pleasantly 
in wandering about the island, which, even at this ad- 
vanced period of the year, presents much both of vegeta- 
tion and scenery, well worthy of notice. The flowers are 
beautiful ; such a proftision of geraniums, fuchsias, and 
heliotropes, with the glorious belladonna lily and bright 
oleander ! It is a perfect wilderness of sweets and bril- 
liant colours. The human part of the scenery is by no 
means in keeping with all this, for a more dirty, dis- 
orderly, uncivilized population it would be difficult to 
imagine. Police there is none, and the noises and confu- 
sion in the streets, especially at night, are most disagree- 
able ; they effectually chase sleep, at least from the eyes 
of a new-comer. Mr. Temple's house is situated close to 
the guard-house, and as tlie sentries are by far the most 



22 TEXAS AND THE 

noisy people in the place, the neighbourhood is not agree- 
able. One of their favourite amusements at night was 
imitating the noises and cries of different animals. They 
alternately crow like cocks, roar like bulls, and gobble 
like fifty turkeys. Their imitations, I must say, were 
correct, but the effect was any thing but pleasing. There 
appears to be but little religious feeling among them ; 
indeed their priests seemed to be almost objects of con- 
tempt, and their places of worship to be nearly neglected. 

The squalid poverty you every where meet with is 
pitiable and revolting ; the children run about almost in 
a state of nudity, and are the ugliest little set of vi^retclies, 
excepting, perhaps, the diminutive old women, I ever saw. 
The Portuguese inhabitants generally require but a small 
quantity of food, and that consists principally of fruits and 
Indian corn. They are, though most frequently short in 
stature, a very strong and hardy race, and their powers 
of enduring fatigue are great. Of the truth of this I had 
ample proof in my palanquin-bearers, who under a broiling 
sun, carried me a sort of ambling pace to the tops of the 
highest hills, without appearing in the slightest degree 
exhausted. It is true that on arriving at the summits, 
they generally begged for a cup of wine at the houses of 
call, which are conveniently placed there. It is, how- 
ever, to strangers only that they are in the habit of 
making the application. 

The vineyards are very pretty ; the vines are trained 
over wooden pillars, supporting a lattice-work of bamboo. 
The grapes are dried in the shade, which is said to give 
them a peculiar richness of flavour. The vine was first in- 
troduced in Madeira in the year 1420, and was brought 
from the Island of Crete. 

The vintage is just over, and numbers of peasants are 
busily employed in bringing down the newly-made wine 
from the vineyards in tlae hills. Some of the men have 
immense pigskins, filled with the red fluid, slung over 
their shoulders, while others are driving the pretty cream- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 23 

coloured oxen into the town, laden in a similar manner. 
The effect of the pigskins is quite horrid ; they are filled 
to their utmost extent, even to the leg-s ; the mouth and 
nose being tied up ; this appearance of being a real ani- 
mal is rendered still more unpleasant by the blood-red 
stains on the hide of the creature. The drivers of the 
wagons, which are of a most simple and primitive form, 
are shrieking and bellowing all the Avhile, by way of en- 
couraging their beasts, and that with voices unequalled 
in the world, I should imagine, for shrillness and power. 

The grapes from wliich the largest quantity of wine is 
made are small and extremely sweet ; we liavc taken a 
large quantity of them on board, besides bananas, and 
various sorts of commons fruits. The grapes from which 
the Malmsey wine is made grow upon rocks, over which 
they are trained — they are not gathered till over ripe. 

Among the many fine views which a stranger at Ma- 
deira should not fail to visit, that of the Coural stands pre- 
eminent. The road to this beautiful spot is steep, and 
stony. It is a valley completely enclosed by high abrupt 
hills, none of which are less than a thousand feet in 
height. The road lies alarmingly near the edge of the 
precipices, and is moreover extremely narrow. The 
horses are, however, so active and well trained, that no 
positive danger exists. A Portuguese runner generally 
accompanies your horse, encouraging him both by threats 
and caresses to proceed, and often not a little impeding 
his progress by hanging on at his tail. The horses are 
well shaped, though small, and particularly adapted to 
the nature of the country, and the roads. 

The Mount Church, built on extremely high ground, a 
short distance from Funchal, cannot be passed unnoticed ; 
the view of the town and roadstead from it is most beau- 
tifiil and curious. There is a large convent, at which 
artificial flowers and other sorts of ornamental work can 
be procured, besides delicious liqueurs, which the nuns 
manufacture in great variety. 



24 TEXAS AND THE 

The most beautiful flowers and shrubs are found on 
the summits of the hills, and the whole appearance of 
the country is rich and luxuriant, far beyond my powers 
of description. The interior of the houses are as enjoy- 
able as the gardens are beautiful ; the rooms are large, 
high, and airy, and the floors during the hot season are 
spread with a fine matting ; very little furniture is ad- 
mitted, and the breeze is allowed to circulate freely 
through the houses. 

The dress of the gentlemen is as glaring as the colour 
of the houses, being white from head to foot; — jacket of 
white linen, sailcloth boots, and trousers of the same. 
A large palmetto hat completes the costume, which if 
not becoming, is well suited to the climate. 

I enjoyed my palanquin extremely. The motion is 
very easy, and sufficiently rapid, considering the great 
inequalities of the ground ; I do not think that a horse 
could get over the ground quicker. It was some time 
before I hardened my heart to the supposed sufferings of 
the bearers, which afl;er all were entirely imaginary. 
Englishmen would, I am sure, sink very soon under the 
exertion, besides the natural objection entertained by our 
countrymen to being used as beasts of burden. 

The sugar-cane grows in considerable quantities, and 
it was formerly the staple commodity of the island, but, 
not proving very productive as an article of commerce, 
its culture was abandoned for that of the vine. Coffee, 
likewise, though of a most superior kind, is grown but 
in small quantities. The coffee-trees are very handsome, 
and grow to a larger size than even in the West Indies 
or Cuba. 

Vines are found growing at a very great height, some 
say nearly three thousand feet above the level of the sea ; 
but, though even in these elevated situations they bear 
fruit, no wine can be made from it. The chestnuts are 
excellent, and in great profusion. There are a good 
many rabbits and wild hogs on the island, but goats and 



GULF OF MEXICO. 25 

oxen are the most common, as well as the most useful 
animals of which it can boast. Here, for the first time, 
I tasted that most indispensable article of (negro) food, 
the sweet potato. I cannot say that I approved of it as 
an adjunct to meat, but roasted like a chestnut, and eaten 
hot, it is very tolerable. 

I confess that in spite of its bright sun and flowery 
hills, Madeira has left a melancholy impression on my 
mind. I met so many wasted invalids, pale hectic girls, 
and young men, struggling vainly against decay. Oh I 
that sad feat of the physician who can do no more, and 
" despairing of his fee to-morrow," sends his patient away 
to breathe his last in a foreign land ! Poor wanderers ! 
I saw their last resting-place. " After life's fitfiil fever 
they sleep well," — as well as though they reposed under 
a grassy movmd at home. And yet — I would wush to 
have those whom I had loved when living near to me in 
death. It is a fancy, and the wise would doubtless call it 
a weak one, but who can reason away a fancy, or dogma- 
tise on the feelings of the heart. I have been assured 
that consumptive patients at Madeira, lose in the charm 
of scenery, and under the influence of the climate, a sense 
of their danger, and the precariousness of their existence; 
that their spirits become raised, and that at the last they 
quietly sink to eternal rest with their sketch-books in 
their hands, and hopeful smiles upon their lips. — I doubt 
it. — Can they shut their eyes upon the hundreds of fel- 
low-sufferers whom they daily meet? — or forget where- 
fore they are there ? It is a comfortable belief, however, 
for their friends at home. 

But I have not yet done with Madeira. I must say 
something of its rain, and a little more of its sunshine. 
The former falls in great quantities during four months 
of the year, viz.: — October, November, December, and 
January. The rain was described to me as descending 
in torrents ; yet greatly must the inhabitants enjoy the 
first refreshing and purifying drops, after the long speU 

3 



26 TEXAS AND THE 

of sunshine. The honey is delicious at Madeira ; the 
bees have such flowers to revel amongst that it would be 
strange were it otherwise. The dress of the Portuguese 
inhabitants is extremely picturesque ; it consists of a blue 
jacket covered with silver buttons, a little cap on one side 
of the head, about the size of a large saucer, a white or 
striped shirt, and very wide trousers. 

The anchorage in Funchal Roads is any thing but safe, 
and more than once during our stay we were in doubt 
whether we should not be obliged to up-anchor and stand 
out to sea, although there was not more than half a gale 
of wind blowing at tlie time. 

We secured a good stock of turkeys, besides ducks and 
fowls, and a very promising goat : the latter, however, 
fulfilled none of the promises made for her. Mariana, 
(for that was her name) enjoyed the reputation of being 
one of the best of her kind on the island ; indeed her Por- 
tuguese owner, having exhausted his vocabulary of praise, 
wound it up by saying, that " she was fit to hang in a 
lady's ear." This, considering that she was about three 
feet high, and large in proportion, with a most formidable 
pair of horns, was saying a good deal. By the man's ac- 
count she was a perfect annuity to him, and we considered 
ourselves fortunate in securing her services. Unluckily 
for us, Mariana was not " a good sailor," (that expression 
of much meaning) and from the first she refused her ac- 
customed aliment, and would taste nothing, except occa- 
sional scraps of such food as one would imagine no sen- 
sible goat of any country would have touched. Brandy 
cherries and birch brooms she particularly relished ; and 
on one occasion when in her awkwardness she upset the 
mustard-pot, (in hot w^eathcr we dined on deck) the con- 
tents were greedily devoured. So much for a Madeira 
goat, but as I could not willingly revert to her again, I 
will close her eventful history here. We bore with her 
caprices till we arrived at Jamaica, when we turned her 
into the Dockyard, under the protection of the Commo- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 27 

dore, where I believe her to be at this moment. The 
little bullocks must be much better feeders, to judge from 
tlie excellence of the beef; tlic mutton is by no means so 
good. 

Three of our men took the opportunity of our stay at 
Madeira to misconduct themselves sadh', so much so, as 
to require the assistance of the local autliorities in bring- 
ing them to punishment. They were three of our finest 
men, and had hitherto conducted themselves well, at least 
to outward appearance, but the cheapness of the wine 
made it irresistible, and one night they being more than 
commonly noisy in the forecastle, the master sent to order 
them to be quiet, and to put out the lights. This, 
the three men in question refused to do, and moreover 
grew so violent and unruly, that it was found necessary 
to send for some Portuguese soldiers, from a schooner 
lying nearly alongside, to assist in capturing the delin- 
quents. They were desperate in their resistance, vowing 
death and destruction to all on board, and daring the 
Doctor, who was armed to the teeth, and all tlie others in 
authorit}', to approach them. I happened to be on shore, 
and knew nothinof of these occurrences till the following 
morning. They were at length safely lodged in a 
miserable prison, on a small insulated rock called the 
Loo. Here, if anywhere, repentance Avas sure to come ; 
and come it did, but all too late for two of the culprits. 
These men had made themselves so obnoxious to the 
rest of the crew, and were moi-eover such comfirmed 
mauvais siijets, that all idea of compromise was out of 
the question ; but witix the otiier man the case was dif- 
ferent; he was a favourite with his messmates, and there 
was evidence to prove that he had been led away by the 
rest, besides whicli, he had offended in a less degree. 
All things considered, we granted him a free pardon, 
while the others were left on the rock, to their solitude 
and their remorse. 



28 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER III. 

Departure for the West Indies — Peak of Teneriffe — Dead 
calm — Employment of the crew — Sunday — Barbadoes — 
Trade-winds — Dearness of provisions, &c. — Frogs and grass- 
hoppers — Bridgetown — " Miss Betsey Austin." 

Now in the fervid noon, the smooth bright sea 
Heaves slowly, for the wand'ring winds are dead 
That stirr'd it into foam. The lonely ship 
Rolls wearily, and idly flaps the sails 
Against the creaking masts. The lightest sound 
Is lost not on the ear, and things minute 
Attract the observant eye. 

On the eighth day from our landing at Funchal, we 
were again in readiness for sea ; it was a lovely summer 
evening, about seven o'clock, when the order was given 
to up-anchor, and set sail for the West Indies. The wind- 
lass was manned, and as I listened to the jovial chorus of 
the crew, as they cheerily sung at their work, I could 
not help thinking of their late companions on the lone 
Loo Rock, and mentally comparing them to the captive 
knight of old, in Mrs. Hemans' beautiful ballad. It was, 
however, I fear, a sad waste of sentiment. 

On the third day from leaving Madeira, we saw on the 
lee-bow the wonderful Peak of Teneriffe, and this at the 
immense distance of one hundred and forty miles ! A 
curious aspect it wore, — a high bank of white clouds 
seeming to extend itself half-way up to the heavens, and 
that small distinct peak of land crowning the whole. 

Having been informed at Madeira that we should have 
a fresh northeast wind, which Avould infallibly and expe- 
ditiously waft us to Barbadoes, and also that having once 



GULF OF MEXICO. 29 

set our sails, we sliould not have to shift them till we ar- 
rived there, we were not prepared for tlie long calm 
which followed. A repetition of the words " calm and 
fine," varied only by occasional changes to, " light airs 
and fine," is all I can find in the logbook for many days. 
As for the employment of the hands, it consisted in spread- 
ino- and furling- awninofs, fitting and mending cutter sails, 
spinning yarn, and washing clothes. As for holy-stoning 
the decks, I set my face against that from the first ; it is 
the worst description of nervous torture of which I ever 
heard, excepting perhaps, the infliction of the squee gee, 
which, as its name almost implies, sets every tooth in 
one's head on edge for a week. Brooms a.nd swahs are 
bad enough, but to these I was obliged to submit. 

This, certainly, was not a very animating life ; still, 
what with fishing for dolphins and bonetas, watching 
anxiously for wind, which sometimes came in the tanta- 
lizing shape of cats'' paws, time slipped along, though the 
ship did not. I tasted one of the bonetas, which the sai- 
lors had cooked for themselves, and very tough and dry 
it was. A dolphin, which soon after followed its unwise 
example, and allowed himself to be enticed on board, 
proved rather better. We dressed up our namesake with 
wine and other condiments, and he was pronounced to be 
" not bad ;" still I greatly doubt if we should have al- 
lowed him even this scanty meed of praise, had a turbot 
or John Dory been within reach. 

And now, having brought my readers into a dead calm, 
or, as I have learnt to say in America, — a Jix, — I think 
it high time to apologise for inflicting upon them any 
fuller account of such a tedious time. I ought to remem- 
ber that wise remark of Rochefoucauld, that " L'extreme 
plaisir que nous prenons Ji parler de nous-memes, nous 
doit faire craindre de n'en donner guere h ceux qui nous 
ecoutent." Still, as a long continuance! of calm weather 
at sea is an acknowledged trial both to the temper and 
spirits, I have thought it better to give some account of 

3* 



30 TEXAS AND THE 

the manner in whieh we endured it, for the benefit of ad- 
venturous persons, who may hereafter be disposed to fol- 
low us, and brave the dangers of the wide Atlantic in a 
yacht. 

But to return to our voyage. The exceeding beauty of 
the stars and sky within the tropics, has been often de- 
scribed, but had I not witnessed their nightly glory, my 
imagination never could have done them justice. A lonely 
ship in the wide ocean must ever, I think, be a source of 
poetical feeling, even to the coldest fancy : but the calm 
and quiet of the sensation is raised to a trusting and al- 
most holy train of thought, when the heat of the day being 
over, and the blazing sun gone down to his rest, you lie 
beneath that canopy studded with most brilliant stars, 
and feel with the poet, a longing 

" to tread that golden path of rays 
That seems to lead to some bright isle of rest." 

One particularly quiet brcezeless day, a shark gave us 
a good deal of employment and amusement. He was 
swimming about the ship for hours, with the pretty little 
pilot fish playing about his monstrous nose. Every sort 
of bait, from salt junk to tempting candles, was offered 
for his acceptance, and rejected. The monster evidently 
was not hungry, for though he smelt at them all, nothing 
would induce him to nibble at the baited hook. Once 
only they succeeded in hooking him, but he very soon 
broke away. Towards the evening, however, he grew 
more sociable, and condescended to eat some biscuit 
which I threw to him over the side. He was an enor- 
mous creature, at least ten feet in length. There was 
something very unpleasant in the idea of this horrid 
" creature following in our wake," and though I did not 
share in the sailors' superstition of their being harbingers 
of death, yet I looked at him with great distaste, feeling 
that he was thirsting for our blood. 

We saw flying-fish in great numbers ; they flew on 



GULF OF MEXICO. 31 

board at night, and were found in the morning on deck 
and in the chains, being attracted by the light. I ate them 
for breakfast, and found them delicious ; like a herring in 
flavour and consistency, but more delicate. 

While copying my journal in England, on a positively 
winter's day in the month of June, dark, drizzling, and 
cheerless, how strange it appears that I ever could have 
disliked the sun, in the way I did, in the Tropics.. How 
often, in the morning, did I tlicn find myself exclaiming 
against its scorching rays. At six o'clock, and often even 
at an earlier hour, I was on deck, driven up by the intole- 
rable heat of the cabin, wbicli being below the surface of 
the water, was necessarily hotter than it was above. It 
was contrary to all orders to spread the awning, before 
the decks were swabbed up, so I had ample leisure for 
complaint. There was that terrible sun again ; not a 
cloud above or around, but one wide canopy of blue over 
our heads ; nothing to break the line of the horizon, and 
the azure sea, shining as crystal, with its long wearying 
swell. Yes ! there was the perpetual sun glaring on us 
through the long day, and still more fiercely in the fervid 
noon ; the winds asleep, and the ship rolling heavily with 
her creaking masts, and idly-flapping sails. One day was 
so like another, that sometimes weariness almost took the 
place of hope : " When will it end ?" I used to exclaim, 
" When will there be a cloud ?" It put me in mind of 
Coleridge's beautifial description of a calm, in the "An- 
cient Mariner." And truly the schooner did look "like 
a painted ship upon a painted sea." 

31st. Light breezes, hardly more than "cat's paws," 
but they gave us hope. The look-out man reported a 
sail on the lee-bow. All eyes were strained to catch a 
view of the vessel, as she gradually neared us. She 
proved to be a small brig, and hoisted English colours. 
She commenced making signals, and our master deciding 
that she wished to speak us, we slightly altered our 
course, to facilitate her object. Her only reason for near- 



32 TEXAS AND THE 

ing US appeared to be to ascertain our longitude, which 
having done, for we chalked it on the outside of the bul- 
wark, she proceeded on her way. The sight of this ship 
was quite an event, and gave us matter of discussion for 
the rest of the day. If I had followed my inclinations I 
should have entered into conversation with her, so eagerly 
did I long for the sight of fresh objects : and I felt quite 
surprised at the apathy with which she passed us by. 

When o'er the silent seas alone. 
For days and nights we've cheerless gone, 
Oh ! they who've felt it, know how sweet, 
Some sunny morn a sail to meet. 

During all this time the heat was intense, the thermo- 
meter ranged from 88 to 96 under the awning, and there 
was no wind to refresh us. The only m.anner in which 
I could procure a breath of air, was by spreading a 
mattrass on the deck, between the ports, which were left 
open. It was fortunate that the yacht contained a large 
supply of water, as from the unexpected length of the 
})assage, and the intense heat, an unusual quantity was 
daily consumed. Had the calm lasted much longer, 
however, we must have had an allowance of Avater ; as it 
was, indeed, our fresh provisions began to run short, and 
turkeys and fovi^ls were anxiously counted over, and 
cared for. 

There was much difficulty, after a time, in finding em- 
ployment for the ship's company, and as it is well known 
that the only method of keeping sailors out of mischief, 
and free from grumbling, is never to let them be idle, all 
kinds of work were resorted to. 

The men, in fact, were seldom left in repose ; they 
were always cither spinning yarn, making mats, scraping 
cables, cleaning guns, or occupied in some task of a 
similar nature. We did not quite follow the example of 
American ships, in which it is said of the sailors, that — 



GULF OF MEXICO. 33 

" Six days tliey labour, and do all that they are able, 
And on the seventh, holystone the decks, and scrape the 
cable." 

Sunday, of course, was a day of rest, and idleness ; on 
that day the men, clad in tlieir light clean dresses, after 
attending- prayers on deck, lay listlessly about the fore- 
castle : the best, and tliose most religiously inclined, (and 
sailors are often so, in spite of their reckless manners) 
were seen reading their Prayer Books, or some sober book 
from the ship's library ; others were poring over old scraps 
of newspapers, or letters, which from their long-folded 
creases, were evidently the jnuch and long-prized missives 
of their wives, or friends in distant England. Thus, 
Sunday passed away, but on week-days the evenings 
were cheered by a. ^fiddler, and enlivened by song. Music, 
such as " charmed the spirits of the deep," was heard 
from the forecastle, and in default of better and more 
refined strains, shortened our silent wa.j. One of the 
performers, the steward's mate, who boasted of having 
been " on the stage" at an earlier period of his life, had a 
beautiful voice, and really sung very tolerably. Sailor's 
ditties are very mournful things, not at all like the joyous 
chorusses I had imagined them to be ; and I often longed 
to give them some new and more lively airs, to vary their 
monotonous concerts. 

Still, though we scarcely appeared to move, we cer- 
tainly progressed a little, for after a most tedious passage 
of thirty days, I was told we were within a hundred 
miles of Barbadoes. This was indeed most welcome in- 
telligence, as we intended to make that island. On the 
afternoon of this day, when at least eighty miles from 
any land, a hawk was perceived flying round the ship. 
How glad I was to see him ! Poor thing ! He was very 
tired, as well he might be, after his long aerial journey. 
After performing a few feeble evolutions, and alighting 
occasionally on different parts of the rigging, he settled 



34 TEXAS AND THE 

on the forcyard-arni, and being- quite exhausted, was 
easily taken. The creature did not live through the 
night. lie was a kestrel, and a very fine one. In con- 
sideration of its long- flight, and from a feeling- of grati- 
tude, as having been the first harbinger of land, we 
thought his skin worthy of being preserved, for the pur- 
pose of stufiing, and it was put into the menagerie ac- 
cordingly. 

At six o'clock in the morning of the 2d of November, 
we were within a very few miles of the land. Barbadoes 
is a very low island, and does not strike one wuth any 
feeling of either wonder or admiration. You see a few 
white-looking houses on the slight elevations. The sight 
of tropical trees, cocoa, palms, Sec, must always be in- 
teresting to one v/ho sees them for the first time. About 
eight o'clock we made Bridgetown, and at ten, a. m. 
brought up in Carlisle Bay, in seven fathom water. 

Nancy, the ncgress, gave me, immediately on our 
arrival, a fresh proof that nervous fancies are not con- 
fined to Jine or even white ladies. Immediately after we 
had come to an anchor, her conduct was most remarkable;- 
she cominenced running wildly about the deck, evidently 
under the influence of some nervous panic. Every one 
she met she informed with striking marks of dismay on 
her countenance, that she must be near her end, for that 
she had a loud and terrific sound in her ears, which she 
was persuaded was the result of some fatal malady. The 
men only laughed at her, and at length she appealed to 
me for advice and consolation. I was too merciful to 
keep her longer in suspense, and told her what every one 
in the ship might have done, had they not enjoyed her 
tribulation, tliat the noise she thought exclusively her 
own, proceeded from myriads of frogs and grasshoppers, 
which we distinctly heard, though at a considerable dis- 
tance from the land. 

The first interesting object which claimed our atten- 
tion was an English man-of-war, the Imaum. She had 



GULF OF MEXICO. 35 

arrived a few hours before us, and was lying at anchor. 
Wc ]iad taken up our position close to licr, and on com- 
paring notes, we found that her passage from Madeira 
had been as long as our own. 

I became almost persuaded, by this new instance of 
delay, of the truth of wliat I had previously suspected, 
that the existence of trade-winds is a vulgar error, a sort 
of travellers' wonder. It was a constant demand of the 
doctor's, " Where is the trade-wind ?" and a standing 
joke on board, that it had gone out of its course to annoy 
us. It was some consolation to find that we had compa- 
nions in misfortune, and to make quite sure that the 
winds of heaven, and not the little Dolphin, had been in 
fault. 

We were soon surrounded by boats, filled with indi- 
viduals of every shade of black, brown, and yellow. The 
black ladies, dressed in white, and adorned with the most 
brilliant colours, glass-bead necklaces, with gaudy hand- 
kerchiefs tied round their heads, were chattering and 
laughing, bargaining and coquetting, but still comporting 
themselves with a dignity, and an air of grandeur, which 
showed them duly conscious of their claim to respect, in 
being "true 'Badian born." 

I began to believe that, as they themselves assert, 
" you must go to Barbadoes to larn manners." I was 
very much amused by these freed bondswomen ; they 
came upon the quarter-deck without any ceremony, 
w^alked down into the cabin, and made themselves quite 
at home. 

The negroes brought alongside such fruits as the 
island afforded, and they were poor enough. Having 
heard much in praise of the West India fruits, I was dis- 
appointed in those I saw. There were bad oranges, 
worse grapes, no pines, at which we felt ourselves much 
aggrieved, shaddocks, guavas, cocoa-nuts, and bananas, 
all indifferent. Still, notwithstanding the want of flavour 
of their contents, the fruit baskets were immediately 



36 TEXAS AND THE 

emptied by our men, who seemed greatly to enjoy the 
sour oranges and tasteless cocoa-nuts. An immense 
quantity of grass was also purchased by them, for the 
purpose of making hats. These hats, which they make 
with much ingenuity, I expected would be both light and 
cool ; they however turned out to be neither. They sew 
the plaits so closely together, that all such purpose is de- 
feated. As an addition to the original weight, many 
sailors put on a covering of canvass, and paint it thickly 
over. 

After inquiring the prices of various necessaries, we 
made the discovery, when too late, that we had come to 
the wrong island for supplies, every thing we required 
being both indifferent and expensive. Barbadoes, I was 
told, imports almost every thing from Tobago and Mar- 
tinique, and it was to St. Pierre, the capital of the latter 
island, that we ought to have betaken ourselves. Beef 
and mutton are tenpence a pound at Bridgetown, and 
water, of which we required a considerable supply, a 
dollar a cask. Turtle are brought from Tobago, cattle 
from the Costa firma, and fruit and vegetables from Anti- 
gua and Martinique. Still, it is well known, that the 
Island of Barbadoes affords provisions of many sorts, 
which are raised on its own soil, though unfortunately 
for us, they were not the kinds we required. I believe 
the exports of sugar average about 300,000 cwts. an- 
nually. 

Barbadoes is said to be one of the healthiest of the 
West India Islands ; nevertheless, in spite of the preva- 
lent opinion, I confess that the country gave me the idea 
of being any thing but salubrious, principally from its 
lowness, and also from the immense number of frogs and 
grasshoppers, which we heard throwing out their various 
notes in all directions. This alone gives an idea of 
marshiness and dampness, which precludes that of health. 
Barbadoes was one of the first, if not the very first of the 
Caribbean Islands colonized by the English. For several 



GULF OF MEXICO. 37 

years during the early part of the seventeentli century, 
the Earl of Carlisle was hereditary proprietor of the 
island, by virtue of a grant obtained from James the 
First. After the Restoration, it became the property of 
the Crown. Tlie coloured population seem to me to be 
tolerably well oif, and not very idle. 

We went on shore in the cool of the evening, having 
appointed a carriage to be in waiting for us at the land- 
ing. And such a carriage and horses ! It was wonder- 
ful, from their appearance, how they contrived to go at 
all, but go they did, and at a tremendous pace. In vain 
I implored the negro driver to rein in his steeds. I be- 
lieve he was revenging himself upon them for the pre- 
vious drivings he had himself undergone in his own 
proper person, for he flogged away most unmercifully. 

Bridgetown is a long straggling town. There are no 
striking-looking buildings in it, but the streets are in ge 
neral broad, and the houses white ; there is a disagree- 
able smell of cocoa-nut oil, but otherwise the city gives 
you a pleasant impression of freshness and cleanliness, 
particularly when compared with Funchal, the last town 
we had seen. There are several churches and chapels, 
and a cathedral, besides several buildings for charitable 
purposes. The population of Bridgetown is about twenty- 
two thousand. On leaving the town, and the pretty 
gardens which surround it, our road lay for several miles 
through an extremely flat country. There is very little 
wood on the island; some mahogany, cocoa-trees, and 
palms, and also a good many shrubs, but the country is 
in general very bare. The flowers, however, are beauti- 
ful ; the datura scented the evening air, and fuchsias and 
heliotropes drooped over the garden walls. 

Oxen are more used as beasts of burden than horses, 
but the meat is not good. We were told, that at the 
proper season there is plenty of shooting, consisting of 
plover, teal, wild duck, &lc. Aloes are very much culti- 
vated, to judge from the number of plants to be seen on 

4 



38 



TEXAS AND THE 



the sides of the roads ; the ginger is not reckoned so good 
as that grown in Jamaica. There is a great deal of land 
still uncultivated. Towards the north, tlie country be- 
comes much higher, and is comparatively cold. This 
part is known by the appropriate name of Scotland, and 
it must be a welcome change to the scorched inhabitants 
of the south, to refresh themselves occasionally by in- 
haling its invigorating breezes. Rum is very dear in 
Barbadoes, at least good rum, such as English sailors 
like. The proportion of black and coloured people to 
white is about six to one, of wdiich by far the greatest 
number are black. 

The barracks are large, convenient, and airy. Wc re- 
turned by a different road from the one by which we left 
the capital, and after driving through a considerable por- 
tion of the town, we visited the parade-ground, where 
the band of the ninety-second regiment was playing for 
the amusement of some half-dozen coloured people, on 
foot, who were looking on. I noticed one or two ladies 
on horseback, and Colonel M'Donald, who accompanied 
them, told us, for our satisfaction, that the season had 
been, and was particularly healthj' ; the men, however, 
looked, I thought weakened and worn. We then pursued 
our drive as fir as the Government-House. Here I was 
rather entertained at our black charioteer, who, pointing 
out to our notice a large building surrounded by iron 
railings, and guarded by a sentry, informed us that it 
was the " Queen's House, all kep fine, furnish, ready for 
de Queen hersef, when she come to see 'Badian people." 
He seemed to entertain no doubt of the Queen's intention 
of crossing the Atlantic, and evidently was rather sur- 
prised that her Majesty had not taken an earlier oppor- 
tunity of visiting this interesting portion of her subjects. 

Still, after all there was to be seen at Bridgetown, I 
should be almost inclined to think, from the oft-repeated 
question which was addressed to me afterwards, " Did 
you see Betsey Austin ?" that that worthy lady is the 



GULF OF MEXICO, 39 

principal attraction of the place. Betsey, or Miss Betsey 
Austin, as she is called, is a person of considerable im- 
portance, who keeps the principal hotel at Bridgetown. 
She has a large acquaintance amongst naval men, and is 
justly celebrated in C'aptain Marryatt's delightful novel of 
" Peter Simple ;" she assured us she owed much of her 
present prosperity to the work in question, and seemed 
duly grateful to the author. " He berry nice man, Cap- 
tain Marryatt." Betsey may have her little faults, as who 
has not, but she must have a kindly heart in her capa- 
cious person from all I have heard. Miss Caroline Lee, 
her sister, is mistress of another hotel in the town, and 
makes better preserves of all kinds than any one else in 
the island. We took in a large supply of live stock, such 
as turtle, turkeys, guinea fowls, and ducks. 

Two of our sailors became embroiled in a quarrel at 
one of the spirit shops at Bridgetown ; and one of them, 
the carpenter, after a hard fight, passed a night in prison. 
I do not believe they were much in fault, but the coloured 
population of Barbadoes is notorious for seeking quarrels 
with English sailors ; and they, as is well known, have 
no particular objection to a row at any time. On lecturing 
the carpenter, Avho was a Scotchman, for the folly of his 
conduct, which had consigned him to the hands of the 
police, and caused him to spend a night in prison, he re- 
plied, " If I had been niysel, it's no the dozen of them 
should have ta'en me." 



40 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER IV. 

Storm at Sea — Lightning — Flying-Fish — Iron Lighthouse — 
Jamaica — Port-Royal — Harbour — Earthquake of 1692 — 
Pirates — Commodore Byrig's House — Wallace, the New- 
foundland Dog — Musquilofs — Coloured and White Popula- 
tion — Spanish Town — The Queen's House — Kingston — 
Unwholesome Climate — Vultures — Superstition — " The 
Doctor" — Sally Adams — Departure. 

There is a bondage worse, far worse to bear 

Than his who breathes, by roof, and floor, and wall. 

Pent in, a tyrant's solitary thrall. 

Wordsworth, 

Nov. 4. Left Carlisle Bay at 5 o'clock r. m. 

The Imaum, a line-of-battle ship, had weighed her 
anchor five hours previously, and we hoped to liavc the 
" pleasure of her company" on the way, a sail being at 
all times a welcome sight at sea. 

Nov. 5. Shortened sail to a squall, took in a reef in 
main-sail, double-reefed fore-trysail. 

Nov. 6. Strong winds, thunder and lightning, treble- 
reefed foresail. How impossible it is in words to give an 
idea of the grandeur, the fearful magnificence of a storm 
at sea ! What a variety, are there, of stirring and deaf- 
ening sounds, filling the mind with mingled feelings of ad- 
miration and awe ! There is the shrill treble of the wind, 
■whistling its fractious way through the rigging, joined 
with the never-ceasing roar of the foaming and angry 
sea, while the deep bass of the gradually nearing thunder 
is heard distinct above it all. The sea is one wild chaos 
of mountains ; mountains never for one instant still ; now 



GULF OF 5IEXICO. 41 

receiving us deep into a fearful liollow, from which it 
seems as thoug-h we never could rise again; and novk' carry- 
ing us over their summits, only to be dashed with greater 
fury into the raging abyss below. And how manfully the 
little schooner rides over the frantic waves I How lightly 
she rises again, and how carelessly she dashes tlie water 
from her bows as she passes on, unharmed, over the trou- 
bled waters ! If a heavier sea than usual breaks, and 
you hear the dull heavy blow against her side, there is a 
tremble, a quiver, as though the poor little thing were 
striken to the heart; it is, however, but for a moment, 
and the little Dolphin is bounding on again as proudly as 
before. 

" Oh ! there's a lioly calm profound 
In awe like this, that ne'er was given 
To pleasure's thrill ; 
'Tis as a solemn voice from heaven, 
And the soul listening to the sound, 
Lies mute and still." 

It would be a cold heart, I think, that would not feel 
an absolute affection for a ship that has carried one in 
safety through perils such as these. She seems so like a 
thing of life, and I am sure I have parted with many a 
soi-disant friend with infinitely less regret, than I shall 
experience when I look my last on our safe and happy 
little schooner. 

Two nights before we arrived at Jamaica, the light- 
ning was most vivid. The sky seeiaed to open, and to 
have changed its ordinary hues for a covering of flame — 
while every moment, on this brilliant ground, the red zig- 
zag forks darted out their angry tongues of fire like some 
fierce and goaded animal. For hours I gazed on this most 
magnificent sight ; I could not make up my mind to go 
below, though the rain began to pour in torrents. No one 
who has not witnessed a storm of thunder and lightning in 
tropical climates, can form an idea of the mingled beauty, 

4* 



42 TEXAS AND THE 

and terror of the effect. For all the world I would not 
hayc missed the sight, terrific and awe-inspiring as it 
was. 

Towards night the tempest was at its height, and the 
sound of the contending elements, as if roaring for their 
prey, deadened the voice of man. Suddenly, a noise more 
stunning than the rest struck upon the car. It was the 
electric fluid against the mainmast ; the sound it made 
was like that of two hands clapping, but five hundred 
times as loud. Our mast was only saved from destruction, 
and with it, doubtless, our own lives, by the circumstance 
of the rigging being wet, and acting as a conductor, by 
which means the fluid was conveyed over the side into the 
sea. One of the most remarkable occurrences during the 
storm was one which affected my own person. At the 
same time that the mast was struck, I felt a warm and 
most peculiaj* sensation down my iiand, and immediately 
mentioned the circumstance. For many hours afterwards, 
a deep red mark, about six inches in length, and one in 
breadth, was plainly to be seen in the place where I had 
felt the heat, and what I should describe as almost pain. 
As I was standing in the direction in which the lightning 
passed, it is to be supposed that I received at the same 
time the slightest possible shock. The escape we all had 
from this worst of dangers was great and providential in- 
deed. In a small vessel, once on fire, with a large quantity 
of gunpowder onboard, our destruction must have been in- 
evitable, had not the Power which had sustained us so 
long among the dangers of the deep, stretched forth a hand 
of deliverance over us. 

During the night, the gale continued with unabated fiiry. 
To sleep was impossible, and as I lay in my cot, rocked 
from side to side, and longing for daylight, I heard a strange 
and unaccustomed sound outside my cabin door. Ongoing 
out to ascertain from whence it proceeded, I found some 
flying-fish, which had come down the companion-ladder 
with the wind and spra)% flapping their delicate wings on 



GULF OF MEXICO. 43 

the oil-cloth. It was a strange situation for flying-fish to 
find themselves in ! 

The Imaum was near us during the gale, and at night 
we occasionally biu-nt blue-lights, which to me was very 
cheering. 

Nov. 8. Squally, with heavy rain. Under treble-reefed 
topsails. 

9th. We were rounding Morant Point. Oh I what a 
swell was there. How we were thrown about. For the 
first and only time the cook requested a diminution of tlie 
daily number of dishes, and the sound of breaking crockery 
was heard playing its destructive accompaniment to the 
sound of the storm. 

A lighthouse, which was not mentioned in any of the 
nautical books, caused some surprise to those on board 
who had been in the West Indies before. This lighthouse, 
which was an iron one, and one hundred feet high, had, 
we afterwards found, been sent out not long before fi-om 
England. 

During the whole of the lOth, the highlands of Jamaica 
were in sight. We passed over the ancient town of Port 
RoyaL, which now lies " full fathom five" buried beneath 
the sea; and soon after noon of the 11th, we entered the 
harbour of its successor of the same name. We went in 
without a pilot, in a gale of wind, and going at the rate 
of twelve knots an hour. The Dolphin, as usual, behaved 
beautifully, answering to her helm, and dashing through 
the troubled waters in most perfect style. The rain was 
pouring down in torrents, such rain as is seldom seen ex- 
cept within the tropics. In these latitudes, it seems not so 
much to descend in drops, as in a positive sheet of water. 
The best of Mackintoshes are no protection from its vio- 
lence ; they are wet through in five minutes. An expe- 
rienced resident in this climate recommended a thick 
blanket as the best dress in which to encounter these 
storms. 

The town of Port Royal owes its origin to General 



44 TEXAS AND THE 

Eraguc, in the year 1G57. He first discovered its advan- 
tages as a military position. Its safe and splendid har- 
bour and the opportunities it afforded for commerce, very 
soon raised it to a pitch of wealth and prosperity, unsur- 
passed by any other of our West India possessions. Its 
greatest source of wealth, however, seems to have been 
owing to the plunder deposited there by the buccaneers. 
Gold, silver, jewels, laces, and all the riclies of the Spanish 
possessions in America, Avcre constantly brought there, 
and it would be impossible to form any idea of the im- 
mense value of the spoils. Port Royal reached its highest 
pitch of prosperity about 1692, and it is from that year 
that its gradual decay may be dated. A tremendous earth- 
quake overthrew, and buried beneath the waves, all tlie 
principal sti-eets of the once flourishing city of Fort Royal. 
Thousands perislied through this awful calamity, and the 
waves of the restless sea rolled over the once splendid 
cliurch, and handsome buildings of the doomed city. 
There are some who declare that the steeple of the princi- 
pal church may still be seen many fathoms under water in 
a calm day. 

It was melancholy to reflect on the frightful loss of 
life, and of the numbers of human beings whose bones 
were strewing the bottom of the harbour, in which wc 
were now securely floating. The sharks swim carelessly 
over heaps of treasure, and mounds of gold. I have often 
wondered why some of our speculators, v/ho in other 
parts of the world employ their energies in fishing for 
treasure, have not endeavoured to rescue some of these 
buried riches from the bottom of the deep. 

Tlie glory and prosperity of Port Royal seem to have 
departed for ever. Scarcely, after tliis fierce and terrible 
earthquake, had the remaining inhabitants recovered from 
their panic, and restored a few of the streets to sometliing- 
of their former state, when the ill-fated town was again 
destroyed by fire. Two hurricanes, one in 1722, and 
another in 1744, successively razed it to the ground. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 45 

Jamaica has always been famous as the resort cf 
pirates. Among- the places of historical interest, as re- 
gards these adventurers, Cow Bay stands pre-eminent. It 
was there that, in the year 1681, an engagement was 
fought between tlic Governor, Sir Henry Morgan, and 
Everson, the Dutch pirate. The force of the latter con- 
sisted of but two ships, one of which was taken, and the 
pirate killed. The other vessel escaped. The crew of 
the one which was taken w^ere desperate, and fought 
bravely for their lives. Those who were not killed in 
action were executed on the shore. All the men were 
English. Some years after this occurrence, the neigh- 
bourhood of Port Royal was visited by a whole fleet of 
pirates, who then infested these seas. The barbarities 
they committed along the coast, upon such of the harm- 
less and inoffensive inhabitants who were so unfortunate 
as to fall within their reach, are described as dreadful, 
and for miles around, they desolated the country by fire 
and sword. 

There is certainly great beauty in the surrounding 
country, but Port Royal itself is as ugly as a town can 
well be. Immediately after our arrival, our kind friend. 
Commodore Byng, sent to invite us to make his house our 
home during our stay in the island. The offer was gladly 
accepted, and we were soon landed at the dockyard, under 
a scorching sun. No sooner had we left the yacht, than 
the sailors, one and all, threw off their clothes, and plunged 
into the water. The master, of course, ordered them in- 
stantly on board again; their escape fi-om the jaws of the 
innumerable sharks which here infest the water, was 
almost miraculous. The thoughtlessness of sailors is 
really wonderful. The Commodore's house is most com- 
fortable. Never shall I forget the delightftil relief it 
afforded, after undergoing the intense heat of the sun's 
rays, as they pierced through the insufficient barrier of 
our quarter-deck awning. On shore, we enjoyed exceed- 
ingly the green jalousies tlu'ough which the sea-breeze 



46 TEXAS AND THE 

blew refreshingly ; and then the delicious iced water, and 
the luxurious sofas and rocking-chairs ! I repeat, the 
chang-c was most delightful. 1'he day after our arrival 
a sad tragedy occurred, at least it was a tragedy to me. 
My beautiful young Newfoundland dog, Wallace, who 
fetched and carried as no dog ever did before, and whose 
spirits and good-humour rendered him a favourite wherever 
he went, swam on shore in high health and spirits; while 
bounding about in the exuberance of delight at having 
escaped from the confinement of the ship, he suddenly fell 
down in a fit, having, as we supposed, received a coup de 
soleil. His sufferings, poor fellow, were soon over, and 
he was buried in a corner of the dockyard. I grieved for 
him at the time, and greatly missed his honest greeting 
v/hen I returned on board. 

The view from the Commodore's bouse is interesting. 
Cocoa-nut trees waved their hearse-like tops to the breeze 
close to its walls, and within a stone'^ throw lay the old 
" Magnificent." Further off, wc descried the delicate 
masts of our own little Dolphin, while the flag of the g-ood 
ship Imaum was floating in the distance. The opposite 
land was clearly to be discerned. Up and down, before 
the house, paced the black senary, calling the hours as 
they came round, and the bells of the various ships echoed 
his cry. 

The house, like most of those in tropical climates, is 
raised from the ground on high pillars. This mode of 
architecture not only renders the apartments much cooler, 
but )>reserves those who inhabit them, in some measure, 
from the attacks of insects and reptiles. Every expedient 
is resorted to Coy protection from the bites of the detestable 
musquitoes ; notwithstanding which, in common with all 
new-comers, I found them most annoying. It is not so 
much the actual pain of the sting, at the time, as the ag- 
gravation of it aflerwards, that is so trying ; and in this 
climate, where tlie slightest scratcli often becomes a seri- 
ous affair, tlie irritation produced by a musquito-bite is 



GULF OF MEXICO. 47 

often attended with bad, and even dangerous results. 
Two of our men were in the hospital for some time, in 
consequence of the venomous bites of these vicious little 
creatures. 

We had been much surprised at tlie dearncss of every 
thing- at Barbadoes ; but we were more astonished, from 
the same cause, at Port-Royal. Mutton, bad and dry, 
10</. a pound; a turkey, £1. 5s.; and a small bottle of 
milk. Is. (id. Eggs are 6cL each, and all other necessa- 
ries of life in proportion. 

The residents told us it was impossible to open one's 
mouth, for the purpose of eating, vmder a dollar, and we 
found no great difficulty in believing them. Sugar is 
much dearer than in England, and I need not add, much 
worse, as it is well known that the refining process of the 
best is carried on in the " old country." 

Jamaica, to my idea, presents the melancholy picture 
of a land whose prosperity has passed away. Indolence 
is, I think, the principal characteristic of the inhabitants 
of this island at the present day, but it does not appear 
that one hundred and fifty years ago they were much 
more inclined to exertion than they are now. You sec 
people of every hue, Creoles or natives, whites, blacks, 
and Indians ; the latter with varieties of the species. 
There is a regular rule here by which to discover and to 
class the different castes, and to ascertain the exact pro- 
portion of black blood which runs in the veins of each. I 
could not understand, without taking more trouble than 
I thought the subject worthy of, the complicated classifi- 
cation, which is almost reduced to a science here ; but it 
is of importance, to judge from the pains bestowed 
upon it. 

The Creole is generall)^ handsome, and well made, but 
from indolence, and other causes, they are apt to become 
corpulent. They are said to be irritable, but generous, 
and kind-hearted, and their love of expense and show is 
great. Now, however, they possess, generally speaking, 



48 TEXAS AND THE 

but very little of the means necessary to enable them to 
indulge in their favourite tastes and pursuits. That the 
Creoles have been losers to a large amount by the aboli- 
tion of the slave trade, there can be no doubt ; and but 
little, that the prosperity of the island generally, its trade 
and resources, have gradually declined. I think it also 
more than questionable, whether the slaves themselves 
have found a greater aggregate of happiness since their 
freedom was declared. They wander about now in rags 
and destitution ; idleness is their occupation, and drunken- 
ness their striking vice. 

There is a look of hopeless indolence about the coloured 
population, which I did not remark in any of the other 
countries we visited. At Barbadoes, there appears to be 
some cleanliness, and some self-respect, which is visible 
in their manners, and in their attention to dress, and the 
adornment of their persons : here, on the contrary, they 
seem thoroughly degraded. On my first arrival, finding 
walking, and even riding on horseback, too great an ex- 
ertion in such a climate, I inquired of a lady who was 
paying me a visit, and who had been some time in the 
country, whether there were not palanquins for the use of 
individuals, who, like myself, were unaccustomed to the 
climate ? She shook her head, " There is not a man in 
the island," was the reply, "who would consent to degrade 
himself by becoming a palanquin-bearer !" And these 
people but yesterday were slaves ! What they might be, 
had liberty been bestowed upon them gradually, and in a 
more judicious manner, I cannot say ; but I have often 
thought, that had each man been allowed to work out his 
liberation, the boon would have appeared more valuable, 
as we rarely prize that which has caused us no difficulty 
in the attainment. A still more important result would 
have been, that a second nature, the well-known fruits of 
habit, would have been acquired; and certainly their 
present condition is not so good, as not to make any other 
very desirable. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 49 

After writing all this, it has occurred to me, that the 
same thing has been said before, and much better than I 
can say it ; but let it go. It is truth, I believe, which is 
always something in this false generation. No subject, 
and now I am writing about truth, I may say it, no sub- 
ject has ever afforded a stronger proof of the depth at 
which this virtue lies buried, than that of slavery. That 
there were some who abused their power over the negroes, 
there can, I fear, be no doubt; at the same time it is 
equally true, that the rare instances of oppression were 
greatly magnified by the morbid sensibilities, and sickly 
sentimentalities of well-meaning abolitionists. 

I was made so very comfortable at the house of the 
hospitable Commodore, that I can say nothing, by expe- 
rience, of the discomforts attending a residence on the 
island. The Governor, Lord Elgin, with whom we had 
the pleasure of being previously acquainted, gave us the 
kindest invitation to pay him a few da}'s' visit at his resi- 
dence among the hills. I did not feel equal to the journey, 
which must be performed on horseback, and commenced 
at five in the morning in order to avoid the heat of the 
sun, but I greatly regretted not being able to see more of 
the interior of the island. 

Our first excursion was to Spanish Town. The route 
to Port Henderson from Port Royal is by water; it is 
about six miles from the latter place. It is very much to 
be deplored that the religious edifices, erected by the 
Spaniards here, should have been so little respected by 
the English, who succeeded them. Whether from fanati- 
cal fiiry, or other causes, they have been mostly destroyed, 
or suffered to fall into gradual decay. Spanish Town is 
irregularly built, and, partly perhaps from the glare of 
the white houses, appeared to me still more oppressive 
than Port Royal. 

The town is built on rather high ground, sloping towards 
the shore ; and as there is no marshy land between it and 
the sea, the refreshing sea-breeze blows healthily over the 

5 



50 TEXAS AND THE 

town. Spanish Town is long and narrow ; its buildings 
may extend to about a mile in length. There is a church 
and a chapel. The former is handsome ; the pews, pulpit, 
&c., are of cedar, and the aisles are paved with marble. 
The chapel stands near the Governor's house ; and not 
far off is the guard-house, where a party of regular sol- 
diers are always on duty. The Queen's house occupies 
one side of a large square. It was built in 1762, and is 
one of the finest of the kind in the West Indies. The 
length of the fagade is two hundred feet, and it is of 
most beautiful freestone, which in this clear air, and 
smokeless climate, retains its whiteness throughout all 
time. 

The Hall of Audience is a fine well-proportioned saloon, 
about seventy-five by thirty feet. Some part of this im- 
mense building is appropriated to public dinners, balls, 
&c. The Assembly Chamber, or Common House, is 
about eighty feet in length, by forty in breadth ; there is 
a raised platform at one end, which is lined with seats for 
members. The chair of the Speaker is raised a little 
higher than the rest. Here, among the legislative 
assembly, are to be seen both black and white faces. 
The former direct, with the white inhabitants, the affairs 
of the island ; and I am told, that among them, are one 
or two intelligent men. 

It will, indeed, be a work of time and difficulty to re- 
store Jamaica to any thing like its former prosperity ; to 
correct the abuses which have crept into its government, 
and to restore confidence among all classes. The state 
of things is, however, improving, and may it continue to 
do so. Lord Elgin is exerting himself to further these 
desirable ends ; and the universal popularity and esteem 
with which he is regarded, as well as the prospect of suc- 
cess, must cheer him, while devoting his talents and 
energies in this formerly almost hopeless cause. 

The Hospital stands at the east end of the town, near 
the river. The situation appeared to me to be ill chosen 



GULF OF MEXICO. 51 

for the purposes of health. Great care, however, is taken 
of the sick, and large sums of money are granted in 
order to defray the expenses of their support, and the 
cost of medical aid. 

The market of Spanish Town is well supplied with 
fish, and black crabs, which are really delicious, and with 
tolerable poultry, milk, fruits, vegetables, Slc. I have com- 
pared the prices of some of the necessaries of life before 
the abolition of slavery, with what they are at present, and 
I find them now very much higher ; in many cases, nearly 
two-thirds. 

Turtle has not changed much in price ; we found it the 
cheapest food, as it is also the best, in Jamaica ; and we 
ate it in ail shajxis, cutlets, roasted, grilled, and made into 
soups, till we were quite tired of it. 

There is a fine range of hills, north, and northwest of 
the town. Among these, are the pens, or villas of the rich 
inhabitants, who go there occasionally to enjoy health and 
coolness. The country is most beautiful ; and there are 
fine chalybeate springs in every direction. The road 
from Spanish Town to Port Henderson is excellent, but 
most disagreeably dusty. We could only go out after the 
sun was set, owing to the intense heat ; and the twilight 
is so short in low latitudes, that it was generally dark 
long before we returned to the yacht. It was a favourite 
excursion of mine that of visiting Kingston after sunset, 
and by water. The view of the town firom the sea is very 
fine. 

The distance from Port Royal is about six miles, through 
what are called the Shallows. For a considerable part of 
the way, the passage is so narrow, in consequence of the 
mangroves, which literally grow out of the water, that 
there is scarcely room for the oars of the boatmen. The 
scene is singular and pretty, and after the scorching heat 
of the day, the cool evening air was delightfully refreshing. 
Oysters adhere in great numbers to the mangroves. 

Kingston stands in an amphitheatre of hills, and has 



52 TEXAS AND THE 

full enjoyment both of the land and sea-breeze. The shape 
of the celebrated Blue Mountains is so varied and capri- 
cious, that one can hardly help fancying it the result of 
those fearful earthquakes, with which these countries have 
often been visited. The savannalis, or plains at the bot- 
tom of them, are charming'. The mountains are in many 
parts covered with the thickest foliage ; the prickly pear 
grows in great quantities, and there being but few paths, 
and those made in the Indian fashion, for single file, it is 
by no means safe to trust yourself in tlie forests witliout 
a guide. 

The houses at Kingston arc much superior to those at 
Spanish Town. The soil on which the former town is 
built is partly gravel, but, owing in great measure to the 
torrents of water which descend from the high country, 
it is surrounded by a vast accumulation of mud. The 
effluvia arising from this, and from the oozy nature of tlie 
soil is terrible. 

The water, too, liere is bad and unwholesome ; in short, 
it is a dreadful place, and you can hardly go through the 
streets without being assailed by visions, or ideas of 
plague, pestilence, and sudden death. 

We were in the habit of seeing occasionally here, a 
poor depressed, weary, young man who had made up his 
mind that he should have tlie fever, and must inevitably 
die. I never saw any one so depressed by the idea of 
deatli ; his very face had grown yellow by anticipation, 
and yet he was in good health, aiid manifested no other 
symptoms of decay.* Every day lie brought us some 



* I tliink our poor acquaintance must have been some 
one of the wandering ghosts of Admiral Hosier's ill-fated 
crew, who 

From their oozy tombs below. 
Through the hoary foam ascending. 
Wander through the midnight gloom. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 53 

fresh story of illness or fever ; and as his face was grow- 
ing visibly longer, day by day, it must be, by this time, if 
alarm has not hurried him into the Port Royal burying, 
gromid, a perfect sight to look upon. 

The market is near the water side, and is well supplied, 
especially with vegetables, such as lettuces, cucumbers, 
French beans, artichokes, celery, peas, beans, &c., all 
brought from the mountains. I was told that in the 
season, there are delicious strawberries, grapes, melons, 
mulberries, &oC. The apples are excellent ; and so, I have 
no doubt, are all the other fruits, as the climate among the 
hills varies from actual cold to temperate. A market- 
boat goes daily to Port Royal and back. 

The birds of Jamaica are very various and beautiful. I 
must say a propos of birds, that one of the most disagree- 
able sights I ever witnessed was a row of that horrid 
description of vultures, called scavengers. They were 
resting on a wall, gorged with their disgusting meal, their 
eyes closed, and their heads sunk between their shoulders, 

" And still for carrion carcasses they crave." 

These unpleasant creatures are protected by the govern- 
ment, and there is a very heavy penalty incurred by kill- 
ing one of them. They are very useful, devouring carrion 
and preventing the accumulation of oflfal. Were it not for 
the scavengers, putrid and other fevers, would be still more 
prevalent than they are at present. Our doctor was very 
anxious to shoot one, and we with difficulty dissuaded him. 

It is strange, that in a climate like this, greater care is 
not taken to cleanse the streets, and to ventilate the apart, 
ments of the houses. I am told, that in the lodging-houses 
the rooms are so close and confined, that it is impossible 
to breathe in them freely. The over-filled churchyards 
being in the heart of the living population, is another 
great instance of imprudence. They have such dismal 
names too for some of their streets and houses, " Dead 
Man's Hole," for instance. Enough to kill a nervous 

5* 



54 TEXAS AND THE 

person, directly he sets his foot in it. The quarters of the 
soldiers have been removed from Kingston to a higlier 
ground on the hills. Thus some amelioration in the lot 
of these poor fellows, 

" sent in this foul clime to languish," 

has been effected. The latter position is so much higher, 
that it has been found, already, an improvement in their lot. 

There is a tolerable theatre at Kingston, which however, 
is not very well attended by the inhabitants, though occa- 
sionally an Italian Company comes from Havanna for a 
month or two. There are several houses in the town where 
sugar is refined, and which, I was told, were worth seeing, 
but I confess 1 did not feel very enterprising in this climate. 

Good rum is very high-priced, and the same quality, 
which, in England, can be purchased at three shillings a 
gallon, cannot here be procured at less than nine. The 
reason of this is, that the rum is sent to England, where 
it undergoes some improving process, and that on its re- 
turn to Jamaica, its price is increased to this large 
amount by colonial dues, charge of freight, &c. The 
rum of the coilntry, before it takes a voyage to England, 
is execrable. I could not avoid hearing frequent com- 
plaints on this subject, from those charged, — to use an 
American phrase, — with liquoring the ship's company, 
and the latter certainly did not seem to approve of the 
quality of the liquor. 

But to return to Kingston. The moon had risen when 
we returned from our excursion ; and as its brilliant disk 
rose over the distant blue mountains, revealing their bold 
outlines, and shedding a subdued light over the tranquil 
sea, a more beautiful effect, or one more worthy of some 
great painter's hand, could scarcely be imagined ; 

" How sweetly does the moonbeam smile 
To-night upon yon leafy isle." 

And yet, over this calm scene the angel of death was 



GULF OF MEXICO. 55 

lioveving- ! Strange, that so lovely a land should he the 
stronghold of disease, the burial-place of the young, the 
healthy, and the gay ! But so it is ! To-day strong in 
health, and fresh in spirit ; to-morrow, numbered among 
the dead. 

In no country that I ever heard of, is superstition more 
rife than it is in Jamaica. Even Ireland, that land of fancy 
and wild imaginings, can boast but few national ghosts 
and interesting revenants compared with those which are 
said to flourish on this island. They have their dvffies, a 
most unpleasant species of ghost, answering to the Irish 
banshee, who are said to wander about in numbers pro- 
portioned to the deaths which take place. In sickly 
seasons, it is said, they may be seen to any amount. Of 
course, in common with all rational ghosts that^ver were 
heard of, they prefer the burial-ground as their place of 
resort. There, when darkness comes, they love to 

" glide in paths that lead to graves." 

By all accounts, they are fearful things those same 
duffies ! and, as national ghosts, have a decided claim to 
respect and consideration. 

The burial-ground of Port Royal is just outside the 
town, and is a most congenial spot for their unholy revels. 
It is strewed with human bones of all sorts and dimen- 
sions. Here they are said to hover over the silent graves, 
dancing about in wild glee, and sometimes even venturing 
beyond the limits of the graveyard, to pay nocturnal 
visits to their former friends. There are several cocoa- 
trees in and about the burial-ground ; their tops wave 
about, not at all unlike the plumes of a hearse, and add 
greatly to the gloom of the place. The ghost of a certain 
merchant who died some time ago in Jamaica, is said to 
mount nightly to the top of one or other of these cocoa- 
trees, and after taking a deliberate survey of the country, 
to descend and make his way into the town. At the 
time of his death, several persons owed him money to a 



56 TEXAS AND THE 

considerable amount ; in particular, one rather influential 
person, ag-ainst whom he appears to entertain a bitter 
grudge. The dufFy of tlie dead merchant frequently, in 
the dead of the night, " when all around are sleeping," 
enters the house of his quondam friend, and pummels his 
corpulent sides till he roars for mercy. I was seriously 
informed by a respectable lodging-house keeper, whose 
house had formerly been a hospital, that on moonlight 
nights, I might see troops of its former inhabitants, those 
who had died within the walls, walking leisurely up and 
down the verandah, and looking complacently in upon its 
present occupants. 

No fear of these nightly visiters seemed to be felt by 
any one ; on the contrary, they were evidently considered 
as a sort of domestic animal, whom, however, it would be 
injudicious to disturb. 

It may be mentioned, that there are many supersti- 
tions peculiar to the negroes, upon whose fears and cre- 
dulity it is easy, but very barbarous, to work. 

The sea-breeze at Port Royal blows with considerable 
violence. On one occasion, I recollect a heavy decanter, 
full of wine, being literally blown off the table by the 
strength of the wind, as it blustered through the Com- 
modore's house. The wind is considered here so healthy, 
and so reviving in its effects, that it is universally called 
" the doctor." I found his measures, however, rather 
too violent to be agreeable, and always fancied I felt the 
heat more, after he had ceased to blow upon me, or rather, 
in tlie intervals between his puffs. I found, also, that 
many people agreed with me, in disliking his diarnal 
visits. 

The time was now fast drawing near, when we were 
to take our leave of our pleasant quarters. In spite, how- 
ever, of tropical heat, musquitoes, and white ants, it re- 
quired a great effort to make up our minds to bid adieu 
to our kind and hospitable host. 

A few days before our departure, the Commodore, with 



GULF OF MEXICO. 57 

several officers of the Imaum, Captain Bruce, &c., g-ave 
us the pleasure of their company at dinner on board the 
Dolphin. It was their farewell visit. The principal 
event which marked the party was, that the Commodore's 
servant fell into the sea, while attempting to get into the 
barge. He rose immediately, and was speedily picked 
up ; happily with the usual number of limbs, for he had 
a narrow escape from the sliarks. Necessary business 
connected with the yacht had already detained us a con- 
siderable time ; new sails had to be fitted, and awnings 
repaired, besides many other arrangements, of which I 
do not know the nature. We had also to replace our two 
sailors who were left at Madeira. This we found no 
difficulty in doing; the two new hands being men-of- 
war's men, and called " very smart." The steward's 
mate had also taken to drinking, and idling, and was 
discharged. He was the " tragedian," and made his 
appearance, during our stay, on the boards of the King- 
ston Theatre. A substitute for him was not easily pro- 
cured ; however, we succeeded at last, and were declared 
in readiness for sea. 

We were to weigh anchor at five o'clock in the morn- 
ing, and consequently decided to sleep on board the last 
night. Adieus are always painful, whether addressed to 
place or people. I never leave a house, which in all pro- 
bability I never shall see again, without a heavy heart, 
and the last minute always comes too soon. After 
bestowing our last words, and last good wishes on our 
host, we shook hands with the best and most warm- 
hearted of negresses, Sally Adams. This pattern for 
housekeepers to single gentlemen has filled the like office 
at Port Royal time out of mind, but only as an amateur. 
She is a sick-nurse at the Hospital, and friend and 
assistant-general to all who require her aid. It is handed 
down traditionally, that Sally Adams performed these 
kind offices in the time of Admiral Rodney ; and I am 



58 



TEXAS AND THE 



not at all sure that she does not entertain a personal re- 
collection of the unfortunate Hosier. 

Nancy, the negress, who had proved herself, in stormy 
weather, any thing but an acquisition to our ship's com- 
pany, we despatched in a steamer to her native island, 
St. Thomas'. She was not a good specimen of her 
country. Though by no means wanting in intellect, she 
possessed the worst quality of the fool, — cunning. I have 
often, through my cabin-door, heard her boasting of her 
ingenuity in deceiving a former mistress, or rather owner, 
who, by her own account, treated her with the greatest 
kindness. " I made believe pain in side, no work, then 
missis come and nurse, and rub side, and do all work 
herself" I was not sorry when she left us. Her extreme 
ugliness really disfigured the ship. 




NANCY. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 59 

At eight o'clock in the evening' we took a final leave 
of our kind friends, and prepared ourselves for the noises, 
and rockings, which make one every moment mentally 
acknowledge the truth of the saying, that, " a ship is a 
thing you never can be quiet in." 

The Lightning man-of-war steamer left Port Royal for 
Hayti, with prisoners, at the time of our departure from 
Jamaica. After remaining a day or two at St. Domingo, 
she was expected to leave that island for Havanna, to 
which city we were also bound. I had indulged the hope 
of again having a consort to sail with us, as there is 
something to me very satisfactory in the idea of having a 
friend near, on the wide waters. I have been often told, 
that in case of danger, there is seldom any chance of 
their being of any use, yet the very sight of them is 
cheering. 

Having been merely fastened to a buoy, we were soon 
under way the next morning. Again, and most proba- 
bly for the last time, I gazed on the beautiful scenery 
and luxuriant vegetation of this most lovely of the West 
India Islands. The Blue Mountains, half hid among the 
clouds, and the dark hills rising from the sea, were glo- 
rious to witness. But we leave the harbour, and now 

" the wind draws kindly aft, 
All hands are up the yards to square. 
And now the floating stu'n-sails waft 
Our little ship through waves and air." 

Since we left Jamaica, sad changes have taken place. 
The excellent Bishop, whom we left doing good, and 
" given to hospitality," has fallen a victim to the climate ; 
while Lady Elgin, the young, the beautifiil, and the good, 
has also been laid low.* 

* Since writing the above, I see that the Assembly at 
Jamaica have voted eight hundred pounds, to be expended 



60 TEXAS AND THE 

If the remaining friends and relations of those, that 
are thus prematurely laid in the grave, can find a conso- 
lation in their bereavement, it must be in the sympathy 
of the many who knew and appreciated the virtues of 
the dead; and in the belief, that in another world, the 
virtues of the departed have secured them, through faith 
in their Redeemer, an eternity of happiness and peace. 

Rest, then, weary wanderer, here, 

Be still — for sacred ground is near ; 

Here 'neath a simple tablet lying, 

The lov'd in life, the blest when dying. 

Waits, in this dark and still abode, 

A summons to attend her God ! 

A peaceful halo fills the air. 

And tells that faith is sleeping there. 

The young, the highborn, sleeps below. 

For her, the tears of thousands flow. 

Then, wanderer through this world of care, 

Breathe o'er this spot a silent prayer ; 

Pray for the desolate and poor, 

WIA) ne'er were driven from her door. 

Pray that the rich who here abide 

May imitate so fair a guide : 

May they, like her, with open hand, 

Spread gladness through a grateful land ; 

Winning, on earth, a people's love ; 

An angel's glorious lot above ! 

in the erection of a tablet to the memory of the lamented 
Lady Elgin, as a mark of the respect in which she was 
universally held. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 61 



CHAPTER V. 

Cape Corrientes— Squally — The Mississippi — Belize — Cat-fish 
— An odd Character — Rifle Shooting — River Scenery — 
Thick Fog. 

He will lie, Sir, with such volubility that you would think 
truth were a fool. Shakspeake. 

A strange fish ! Were I in England now, (as once 1 was,) 
and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there, but 
would give me a piece of silver. Shakspeare. 

Nov. 22. A. M. Light airs and fine. Five o'clock re- 
ceived the pilot on board — passed Portuguese shoal — ten 
o'clock discharged pilot. — Ten p. m. Beautiful moon- 
light night, running six knots passed Portland Point and 
Pedro Bluffs. 

Nov. 26. This morning we made the Island of Cuba 
and as we supposed Cape San Antonio. The land was 
very low and rocky, with here and there a few pines. — 
Our books of directions mentioned the great resemblance 
between Cape Corrientes and Cape San Antonio, and also 
how often they were mistaken for one another. — As the 
weather was cloudy, and, owing to the currents, as we 
were not over sure of our exact position, we kept a good 
offing, and soon after discovered Cape San Antonio well 
to the westward ; the land we had first made being Cape 
Corrientes. We had also a proof of the accuracy of our 
charts ; the wrecks of two vessels being observable on 
the shore about three miles to the west of Cape Cor- 
rientes, where they had run up high and dry, fancying 
they w^ere well past the westernmost point of Cuba. No 
sooner had we rounded Cape San Antonio, than we found 

6 



62 TEXAS AND THE 

our change of course entailed upon us a dead foul wind ; 
we were also no longer under the shelter of the island. 
It was blowing very hard and the strong wind, in oppo- 
sition to the current, produced a most unpleasant kind 
of sea. We were under single-reefed mainsail and fore- 
stud-sail, and double-reefed fore-trysail. Midnight — 
heavy squalls, attended with thunder, rain and lightning. 
There are few things more provoking after having under- 
gone discomfort and fear, and after having fancied one- 
self a perfect heroine, than to be told that it was a mere 
nothing, blowing rather fresh, &c., I often felt quite 
mortified at having my illusions destroyed in this rough 
manner. 

Nov. 27. Double-reefed fore-trysail — three sail in 
sight, in the afternoon moderate gales, midnight, squally. 
This was all disagreeable enough, so we called a council, 
or in Indian language, a Palaver, and determined to give 
up Havanna for the present, and to bear up for New 
Orleans. The change was delightful ; we had the wind 
with us, and skipped along beautifully, seven, eight, and 
nine knots an hour, a few double reefs, but nothing to 
signify. 

Nov. 30. Fresh breezes and fine, sounded, no bottom, at 
tliirty-five fathom. In the afternoon, double reefs again 
in mainsail. 

Dec. 1. Sounded, forty-five fathom, mud, altered course 
and set square sail. Three o'clock p. m. received a pilot 
on board. Saw a lighthouse on starboard bow ; at five 
o'clock we brought up off* Balize in three fathom water, 
furled sails, cleared decks and set the watch. 

And this was the Mississippi ! The giant river of 
which I had heard so much ! It really was very disap- 
pointing ; mud, and reeds, and floating logs, yellow fever, 
dampness and desolation ! I believe there are about two 
hundred souls in this wretched little village of Balize, at 
least fifty of them are pilots. They go very far out to sea, and 
their boats though not handsome, are well built, and safe. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 63 

The chief officer of the customs, and the great man of 
the place, came on board immediately and was most kind 
in his offers of assistance ; he had shooting " first rate" 
for my husband, and a ball with a drum and tambour to 
enliven the ladies, i. e. my maid and myself! By his 
account, game is very plentiful here at all seasons of the 
year — snipes in abundance, and thousands of wild ducks ; 
and a short way up the river, plenty of deer, quail, gray 
squirrel and woodcock ; fish, to our surprise, is rather a 
scarce commodity here ; the sort most fi-cquently caught 
is called the cat-fish, of which, by the bye, our new ac- 
quaintance told us rather a remarkable anecdote. " Well 
sir," he began, "this is queer what I'm going to tell 
you, but it's a fact, that a friend of mine had a pointer 
dog marked with very particular spots, and this pointer 
had seven first-rate pups, all marked the same. AVell sir, 
my friend he did'nt want the pups, so he just threw them 
slick into the Mississippi ; he was raised, my fi-iend was, 
up north away, and he threw the pups in good two hun- 
dred miles iVom this, he did. Well sir, it might be a 
couple of days after this I was a fishing, and I caught as 
fine a cat-fish as ever you saw, and in its inside what 
might you think I found ? Just my friend's pointer pups, 
two of them was dead surely, but the rest was only a 
little hungry ! — and that's a fact ! by — this and by that." 
This singular personage was very proud of his skill in 
rifle-shooting, and sent us evidences of his skill, in the 
shape of some delicious wild ducks shot that morning. 
He had come off conqueror in a well-contested match 
with Alligator, the famous Indian chief, and, what Avas 
of much greater importance to him, he had likewise 
proved his superiority as a sportsman over an " English 
noUeman !" He forgot the name of this " distinguished 
individual," as he called him : by his account the " noble- 
man" was travelling for pleasure (a circumstance in itself 
always sufficiently surprising to a Yankee mind) and 
finding himself at Balize, challenged our informant to a 



64 TEXAS AND THK 

rifle-match. The peer boasted of being a first-rate shot ; 
he had won the cup at Manchester, by his skill with the 
rifle, and in short " he would show the American what 
shooting was." " Well," said the narrator, " his Lordship 
dressed himself in a smart new bright-green velvet 
hunting-coat, with mother-of-pearl buttons as big as a 
dollar ; why I tell you, that coat was enough to have 
skeered all the ducks away from the river from this to 
eternity. Well, sir, he put on the coat, and then he stood 
up to fire, without a thought of keeping himself out of 
sight of the birds, and then away he popped, and a splendid 
gun he had too, quite first-rate. Well sir, I shot twenty, 
two ducks out of twenty-three shots ; a man with us shot 
ten out of twelve, while my Lord he never brought down 
a bird. I guess he was surprised a little, — I wish I 
did'nt obliviate his name, but I do — and that's a fact." 

Our friend was really very useful to us ; he was a good 
specimen of a genuine Yankee : kind-hearted and hos. 
pitable to a degree ; rather given to drawing the long- 
bow ; but, as a sportsman, and a very good one, he must 
stand excused. His son was a very pleasant-mannered 
boy, a midshipman in the United States Navy. The two, 
together, supplied us plentifully with game, which we 
were not sorry to procure, as we intended sailing up the 
river to New Orleans, a mode of voyaging, which, with 
contrary winds, frequently occupies a considerable length 
of time; the distance is about one hundred and five 
miles. 

It is not very easy to procure provisions of any sort at 
Balize. Beef is brought from the city (New Orleans) 
only in sufficient quantities to supply the wants of the 
pilots and their families, and is very high priced, namely, 
one shilling and threepence a pound. Fowls and eggs 
are still scarcer; no poultry being reared in the neigh, 
bourhood. Milk was not to be had at any price ; but we 
were told that there was a widow lady up the river, who 
had milch cows, and might possibly be induced to part 



GULF OF MEXICO. 67 

with some of their produce. With this hope I was 
obliged to be contented ; though, not having enjoyed the 
luxury of milk in my tea since leaving Jamaica, I confess 
I was rather disappointed in having to wait still longer, 
for what we are accustomed to consider an indispensable 
article of diet. 

Dec. 2. Weighed anchor, and made sail up the river 
with a fair wind, moderate and fine. It is always cus- 
tomary to " take steam" up the Mississippi, so that our 
determination of sailing caused great astonishment, but 
it was so much more agreeable and independent a course, 
that we had no hesitation in adopting it. The noise of 
the high-pressure engines, which are almost invariably 
used, is very disagreeable ; and you have not even the ad- 
vantage of coming quickly to the end of your voyage, as 
the steamer generally takes several vessels in tow, and 
consequently, her steam not being of sufficient power, 
you do not average more than three or four knots an 
hour. 

After losing sight of the harbour, you see nothing on 
either side of the river, for several miles, but the same 
low reedy banks. Banks, however, they cannot be called, 
as there is not the slightest perceptible elevation ; you 
meet with innumerable snags and floating logs, which 
give a vejy desolate, ruinous look to the surface of the 
water. On ascending a few rattlings, one of the crew 
said he could see the sea over the tops of the low trees ; 
there are several passes out of the river, and between 
them extend these swampy forests. 

Occasionally we passed, or met a large rafl, floating up 
or down the stream. These rafts have generally a little 
hut built on them, in which there is a fire, and the men, 
who have charge of these floating islands, are very often 
seen comfortably cooking their dinner ; the muddy water 
all the while rippling over their wooden island, and finding 
its way out again as quietly as it came in. 

Too much cannot be said of the extreme muddiness 



68 TEXAS AND THE 

and ugliness of this celebrated river, a few miles from its 
mouth. Its fogs » whip" those of our Thames. By the 
bye, the Yankees use the verb, " to whip," invariably 
where we say " to beat," for instance : when we first en- 
tered the river, as we lay at anchor, a little schooner 
passed us, and without any previous greeting, the master 
hailed us through his speaking trumpet, with the modest 
remark, " well stranger, I guess I could whip you pretty 
considerable, I could." — And by way, as he evidently 
considered, of making good his boast, he proceeded, 
taking advantage of our situation, to sail round us in a 
most triumphant manner. The Americans are great 
boasters, — I cannot with any regard to truth, say they 
are not, — and they are particularly glad to whip the Eng- 
lisli when they can. At the same time the vaunt is 
generally made in the spirit of good humour and honest 
rivalship, and if taken in the same way, would never 
lead, as is too generally the case, to quarrels and heart- 
burnings. 

By degrees the scenery improves and the woods are 
thicker ; still the timber is not of large growth, though 
the late autumn colours of the leaves rendered them very 
varied and beautiful. The most common tree is the syca- 
more, not quite the same as ours of the same name, but 
nearly so ; the brilliant crimson of its seed-pods, con- 
trasted finely with the brown and changing leaves. As 
we advanced up the river the trees were of a more con- 
siderable size, and there was much more variety in their 
foliage. Ilex and the live oak are very frequent. There 
is a peculiarity in the appearance of the woods, owing to 
the trees being almost universally covered with the long 
drooping Spanish moss. This parasitical plant hangs 
from every branch and twig, descending in long weeping 
clusters ; these dependants often grow to the length of 
six or eight feet, and are of a grayish colour ; they give 
a sombre hue to the forests, and render their appearance 
somewhat monotonous. The shores increased in beauty 



GULF OF MEXICO. 69 

as we proceeded, being diversified with splendid magno- 
lias and cotton-wood trees. Occasionally we saw exten- 
sive clearings, on which were temporary wooden houses, 
erected near the river side : they are occupied by the 
wood-cutters, who are employed in felling and stacking 
the wood for the innumerable steamers which work up 
and down the river. These insatiable monsters of the 
deep (the Mississippi is said to have no bottom) will soon 
eifect the almost total destruction of those characteristic 
forests ; they are fast disappearing under the hands of 
the busy " go-ahead" steamboat companies. 

We had a fine breeze all day, and though there was 
much trimming of sails and beating up reaches, we found 
the log-book spoke well of our progress. We asked a 
Yankee fisherman, after we came to an anchor, how far 
we were from New Orleans, and his reply was " well, I 
expect it will be sixty miles about from the city." This 
was a very good day's work, particularly as we were 
working against a current running from four to five miles 
an hour, and encouraged us to persevere. All day we 
had been hailed every hour by some steamer or other. 
The Webster, the President, or the Henry Clay, with the 
oft repeated, " well, I guess you want to take steam up to 
the City ?" " No," " no," " no," we had answered till we 
were tired. Now, all was comparatively still ; the huge 
river was composing itself to rest after its labours ; there 
was occasionally a murmuring sound from the adjacent 
shore, as of some drowsy insects humming their latest 
evening song, and now and then the light paddle of a 
canoe went ripple, ripple past. — Here we lay, our two 
lights gleaming through the evening mist, our sails furled, 
all hands below save the solitary look-out man, — yes, — 
here we lay on the broad bosom of the giant Mississippi. 
What rest it was after the stormy nights to which we 
had so long been accustomed. 

During the night the fog became very thick, and we 
were kept rather in a state of alarm from the number of 



70 TEXAS AND THE 

steamers, which were conslantly passing us. By the 
American law you are obliged to have two lights con- 
stantly burning at the masthead at night ; should any 
vessel, not shovv'ing the required number be run against on 
the river by another ship, the former will not be entitled to 
any remuneration for damage sustained in the concussion. 
Dec. 3. The morning was damp, chilly and foggy, but 
before nine o'clock the sun had cleared away the mist, 
and we were again under way. As we progressed, the 
clearings became more frequent and greater signs of 
civilization were apparent. There was the more finished 
cottage, with its little garden crowded with orange trees, 
and most of them had in addition a small patch of Indian 
corn. The oranges are small, but grew very thickly ; 
they are sweet and eatable, though not to be compared to 
any which come to England. The weather was very 
chilly ; the thermometer on deck at noon in the sun, stood 
at 54°, which to us, so lately arrived from the scorching 
heat of the West Indies, was really cold ; but notwithstand- 
ing this, we found the musquitoes very troublesome. All 
this day we had quite sufficient amusement in watching 
the birds, which were displaying their bright colours in 
the variously tinted woods. They really were beautifiil, 
and we were quite near enough to the shore to distinguish 
their colours, and generally speaking, their species ; there 
was the mocking-bird with its elegant shape, but rather 
dingy plummage ; jays and woodpeckers of every hue, 
and the gaudy Virginia nightingale in great numbers ; 
we saw also wild ducks and flocks of wild swans and 
geese, the latter of which were extremely shy and wild. 
Of course every traveller in America is prepared by pre- 
vious description to admire the autumn foliage of these 
" pathless woods." There is, however, a richness and 
variety in them — the bright and almost dazzling crimson 
shaded into rich golden yellow, and intermingled with the 
brightest evergreens — which is perfectly indescribable. If 
a painter were to attempt depicting them to the life, he 



GULF OF MEXICO, 71 

would be called " as mad as Turner," and truly no mortal 
hand could image forth such scenes as these. 

In this, our second day's pilgrimage, I noticed several 
smart houses, the residences of sugar-growers, whose 
manufactories were always near at hand. Rather further 
removed were the log huts of the slaves. We saw the 
latter in great numbers, both male and female, working 
in the clearings ; they seemed very cheerful, and we often 
heard them laugh merrily as we passed by ; after all that 
I have been told of the sufferings of these people, it quite 
gladdened my heart to hear them. We made this day 
but little progress towards " the City," there being scarcely 
any wind ; eighteen miles, however, were better than 
nothing, and as we were not pressed for time, we still re- 
fused the offer of our friends in the steam-tugs. 

At four o'clock, p. m,, the breeze died away entirely, 
and we came to an anchor in seven fathom water. In the 
evening, after dinner, we rowed to the shore ; our object 
being to procure a little milk, and seeing some cows in a 
neighbouring clearing, we did not quite despair of success. 
The river here is about a mile wide ; we had, therefore some 
little distance to row, and the current was running very 
strong ; we did not take any of the men with us, as they 
had been so much employed all day in tacking, trimming 
sails, &LC. On reaching the shore the Doctor alone landed. 
We waited a long time, so long that the musquitoes tired 
with worrying us went to rest, and the mighty fog, which 
I had hoped to escape, covered us over like a curtain. At 
length there came the welcome sound of approaching foot- 
steps, and our companion accompanied by three men 
made his appearance. He had literally been unable to 
escape before, so warm had been his welcome from these 
rude sons of the forest. They were profuse in their offers 
of assistance, and I believe would really have given us 
any thing they possessed. From the lady who kept the 
cows, we procured a small bottle of milk, for which we 



72 TEXAS AND THE 

paid two bits — about one shilling ; they likewise brought 
me some fresh eggs, which were quite a luxury. 

I'he question now was " how to find the Dolphin ?" 
There is nothing so bewildering as a thick fog, and by the 
time we had rowed, as we thought, to the middle of the 
stream, we found ourselves completely puzzled, both as to 
our own whereabouts and that of the schooner. The 
steamers were puffing up and down, thick and fast, giving 
us but little note of their approach ; indeed, were they 
ever so near, from the extreme density of the fog, there 
was every chance of our steering precisely the wrong 
way. Our only guide was our knowledge that the two 
lights of the Dolphin were to be looked for under the north 
star. We were at length enabled to catch a glimpse of 
her, as the fog hung low over the water, and our guiding 
star brought us to our home in safety. In less than an 
hour I found myself to my infinite relief in my floating 
home playing " Hail Columbia" with variations ; an ap- 
propriate compliment to the " great City," we were ap- 
proaching. 

Dec. 4. Alas ! no wind, another lingering day. But 
the weather was warmer, and the birds were singing so 
gaily that they reminded me of an English day in June ; 
there was now no variety in the scenery. We came to an 
anchor early in the afternoon, having made about ten 
miles ! After dinner we rowed in the gig for some time 
along the banks, and landed several times in the hope of 
procuring fresh provisions. Meeting with no success, we 
returned on board laden with orange branches covered 
with fruit. All night the fog was very thick and the 
musquitoes most annoying. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 73 



CHAPTER VI. 

New Orleans — The Harbour — Texan Commodore — The Hotel 
of St. Charles — Busy scene on the strand — American man- 
ners and customs — Eligible situation of New Orleans — 
Population of the State of Louisiana — Yellow Fever — Na- 
tional education — Departure from New Orleans. 

" Soul of the world, Knowledge, without thee, 
What hath the earth that truly glorious is ?" 

Daniel. 

Dec. 5. Only fifteen miles from the city. Its towers, 
and the dome of the St. Charles's Hotel, distinctly to be 
seen ! All rather tired with the monotony of our fresh- 
water voyage. A dead calm till two o'clock, p. m. It 
was dusk before we reached New Orleans. The first 
view of the town from the river is very striking ; I think 
I never saw, in any other, so long and continuous a line 
of large, and even grand-looking buildings. The in- 
numerable lights which gleamed from the houses and 
public buildings, and which were reflected on the river, 
were to us, so long unused to the cheerful aspect of a 
large and bustling city, a most welcome siglit. 

Dec. 6. If New Orleans appeared delightful to us by 
the light of its gas-lamps, what did it not do when seen in 
the face of day ! It was the busiest scene ! Such forests 
of masts ! Such flaunting colours and flags, of every 
hue and of every country ! Really, as the Yankees say, 
"Orleens may stump the univarse for a city." Five tier 
of shipping in the harbour I This is their busiest time for 
taking in cargo. 

There is a beautifiil corvette lying near us, a long low 
hull, and raking masts ; at the mainmast is flying a small 

7 



74 TEXAS AND THE 

flag, with one star on its brilliant white ground ; it is the 
star of the young Republic of Texas. " Boat alongside !" 
" Side ropes !" It is the gig of the Texan Commodore. 
He had sent a lieutenant from the San Jacintho, with 
many kind oiFers of assistance and civility. In about an 
hour Mr. Houstoun returned the visit, and brought the 
Commodore back with him. The latter gave us a good 
deal of information as to the state of the Texan country, 
and some news from the army. His countrymen and the 
Mexicans are countinuing a desultory warfare, and with 
but little present prospect of coming to an amicable set- 
tlement. One thing which the Commodore told us gave 
us a good deal of disappointment. We found that our 
plan of going to Aransas could not be put into execution. 
From all we had heard, the country about that river is 
the finest in Texas, and affords the best sports, there 
being wild animals in great variety. Unfortunately, the 
Dolphin, he assured us, drew too much water for the bar 
at the mouth of Aransas harbour, and lying outside is 
by no means safe. The San Jacintho, though of eight 
hundred tons, drew but ten feet ; she was fully armed 
and equipped ; all the Commodore wanted was money, 
and that seemed very scarce with him just then : had he 
but possessed that necessary article, he " would go to sea, 
take the Montezuma and Guadaloupe, and whip the 
Mexicans all round I" And so he very likely would, for 
he enjoys the reputation of being a good officer, and a 
very fighting one. Mr. Houstoun went on shore with 
the Commodore, and was introduced to the British Con- 
sul. During his absence a great many boats came along- 
side. What could we be, a miniature man-of-war, with 
our guns run out at the port-holes, and our white stripe ? 
No one knew. But we heard afterwards, that our ex- 
pected advent had been announced in a New Orleans 
newspaper, and in that we were described as an armed 
vessel, going to fight for the cause of freedom, viz. : to 
take the part of the Yucatanese. Truly, though I wish 



GULF OF MEXICO. 75 ' 

them every success, I liope I may never hear the voices 
of our six-pounders in their behalf. 

We found the musquitoes most disagreeable ; they 
were worse, if possible, than at Jamaica ; but to make 
me some amends, I had such beautiful flowers ! Jessa- 
mines of every kind ; daphnes, roses, violets ! Such a 
December bouquet ! and all growing in the open air. 
How refreshing they were, and how they reminded me of 
summer in distant England. 

We made it a rule, in general, not to sleep out of our 
own house, but were tempted to break it here. Previous 
to our arrival, we had heard so much of the great Hotel 
of St. Charles, the immense extent of its accommoda- 
tions, and the size of its apartments, that we decided 
upon spending a few days there, in order to see these 
wonders with our own eyes, and judge of them with our 
understandings. 

The St. Charles's Hotel was built on speculation by the 
proprietor of the Astor House, at New York, and I be- 
lieve the former to be, if possible, a still more prosperous 
undertaking than the Astor House. It contains within 
its walls accommodation for at least five hundred persons. 
We landed in the gig about twelve o'clock, and such a 
scene of business and bustle never before met my eyes ] 
The Strand, or Levee, as it is called, is crowded by busy- 
looking men, passing in all directions ; evidently their 
heads are full of business, and speculations and " opera- 
tions," in course or in perspective, fill up every thought 
and feeling. No one looks at you, or delays for a moment 
his walk, or his conversation, for trivial causes. Indeed, 
I am inclined to believe, that were a mad dog at their 
heels, it would make but little impression upon their ab- 
sorbed faculties. Black slaves, laughing, joking, swear- 
ing, and hallooing, are* rolling along the sugar-casks, or 
tumbling over the bales of cotton ; and sailors of mer- 
chant vessels, the only idlers in this busy scene, are 
lounging about, with their pipes in their mouths, and 
their hands in their pockets. 



76 TEXAS AND THE 

It is a most animated, and to a stranger, most amusing 
sight ; but with all this bustling and noise, there is no 
confusion, and I saw no disorderly persons about. Who 
are those gaily-dressed men sitting astride upon cotton- 
bales, and looking so composed, while discussing some 
serious question with each other? You can judge nothing 
from their countenances ; they are so well schooled and 
tutored, that no one would imagine an important mer- 
cantile negotiation was in progress. That gentleman 
mounted on a molasses-cask, whistling, cutting up a 
stick, as if for the bare life, but in reality to prevent his 
countenance from betraying his feelings, is doing business 
with the man who is balancing himself on an empty 
barrel near him. The latter, with the eternal quid in the 
corner of his mouth, is clearly looking out " for the 
giraffe,"* and, after a while, he rises with great sang 
froid, with " Well, Sir, I calculate there's a something 
of a string-halt in the bargain ; it's a horrid sight of 
money. Sir, you're asking, and as I'm in a tarnation 
hurry to liquor, I'll just put it off till next fall." I need 
hardly say that this shrewd gentleman was recalled, and 
a bargain concluded. The process of liquoring is gone 
through several times before a bargain is struck. 

This, the first specimen I saw of Americans, in their 
own countr)% struck me forcibly. It shewed me that those 
who, in dress, appearance, &c., are decidedly the gentle- 
men of the land, are so devoted to money making, as evi- 
dently to have neither time, nor many ideas to waste on 
other subjects. It convinced me, that though the contem- 
plation of America as a nation, and at a distance, may, 
and indeed must be interesting, yet the investigation and 
survey of the people who compose that nation, must soon 
become wearying and monotonous. One may be amused 
for a time at the shrewdness with which they make their 
bargains, at the acuteness of their remarks, and the origi- 



* Anglic6, taking care he is not taken in. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 77 

nality of their expressions ; but once convinced, as I 
speedily became, that their every action proceeds from a 
love of amassing- wealtli, and you cease to become inte- 
rested in individuals, whose conduct and whose pleasures 
are swayed by such an ignoble cause. 

The Americans are accounted, and I believe justly so, 
a moral people, but even this merit is, I think, not so 
great a one in their case, as it is among other nations. 
Their love of wealth being all-powerful, and being to be 
gratified only by the strictest attention to business, it 
follows, necessarily, that the habits of their lives gene- 
rally become quiet and restrained. 

You seldom see an American lady accompanied in her 
walks, rides, or drives, except on Sundays, by a gentle- 
man ; it would be a waste of time, and consequently a 
useless expenditure of money, to indulge in the gentle, 
and refining society of the female sex. Young, delicate, 
and pretty women are met unprotected, clad in the gayest 
colours ; I believe they are not denied any of the inno- 
cent enjoyments procured by dress and female society, 
and they may be seen pacing the streets, from store to 
store, and from boarding-house to boarding-house, shop- 
ping, and paying visits. This custom of young married 
women not having a home of their own, but inhabiting 
those nests of gossip called boarding-houses, seems to me 
injudicious and reprehensible. The young American wife, 
and they marry when almost children, is thus left all day 
without the society of her husband, or the protection of 
his presence. Her conversation is limited to the vicious 
details of scandal, or the insipid twaddle of dress, and in 
a place where all have a right to enter, the good and the 
well-disposed woman must frequently come in contact 
with many, who, had she possessed a home of her own, 
would never have been admitted to her presence. 

There were a variety of carriages standing for hire on 
the Levee. Their cleanliness, the excellence and ease of 
their springs, to say nothing of the well-appointed appear- 



78 TEXAS AND THE 

ance of most of the drivers, would put to sliame the 
hired vehicles in most of the capitals of Europe. We 
chose an open carriage, though the weather was extremely 
cold, for we were curious to see as much as we could of 
this interesting city. 

I remarked how closely those whom I met or passed 
resembled each other. It is difficult to mistake a Yankee 
for the inhabitant or native of any other country. They 
are almost all closely shaven, not a vestige of beard or 
whisker is left, — and then their garments are all so pre- 
cisely the same ! I felt I should never be able to distin- 
guish one man from another. I could not at first com- 
prehend why all the male inhabitants looked so precisely 
like figures made on the same model, but my lengthened 
drive through the streets enlightened me. Outside a great 
many of the " notion" stores, I saw just such figures 
hanging up, coat, pantalon a sous pied; in short, the 
whole outward man. There was this difference, and be 
it remarked, it is an essential one — the latter were men 
of straw. Such cannot be said of the wealthy merchants 
of New Orleans. The fact is this, there are no working 
tailors at New Orleans, and every article of dress comes 
ready made from the Northern States. There are mer- 
chant tailors in plenty, and if the traveller in New Orleans 
is in want of a suit of clothes, he must, if of the mascu- 
line sex, betake himself to one of these gentlemen, and 
he will be forthwith fitted witli any thing he may happen 
to want. " Pants" are daily announced, as a cargo just 

arrived " by the from New York ;" the latter city 

evidently has the responsibility of setting the fashions to 
the elegants of the other cities of the Union. These gar- 
ments being all of the same colour and fasliion, fully 
accounts for the similarity of the appearance of the 
inhabitants. 

Every one in America, (and I include even New 
Orleans, where the admixture of French blood, and the 
southern clime, would doubtless cause an appearance of 



GULF OF MEXICO. 79 

gaiety, if it can be looked for any where in the States) — 
every one in America, I sa}', looks grave, serious, and 
reflective. There is none of the sportive, light-hearted 
manner visible among the French, and occasionally 
among our own countrymen ; their very amusements, 
and they are few, are partaken of without any show of 
relaxation or pleasure. Why is this ? Because business 
pursues them into the very heart of their enjoyments ; 
because, in fact, it is their enjoyment, and business is 
certainly not a lively thing. It neither opens the heart, 
nor expands the countenance. 

De Tocqueville says : — " I believe the seriousness of 
the Americans arises partly from their pride. In demo- 
cratic countries, even poor men entertain a lofly notion 
of their personal importance : they look upon themselves 
with complacency, and are apt to suppose that others are 
looking at them too. With this disposition, they watch 
their language and their actions with care, and do not lay 
themselves open to betray their deficiencies ; to preserve 
their dignity, they think it necessary to preserve their 
gravity." 

If the Americans are the proud, sensitive people that 
De Tocqueville asserts them to be, how is it that this 
pride is wholly and solely personal ? How is it that it does 
not make them feel more acutely as a nation, and induce 
them to bestow a little of the anxiety they display for 
themselves as individuals, on the honour and name of the 
country of which they affect to be so vain. 

The fact is, that, like many other proud, or I should 
say, vain people, it is the very sense of their public defi- 
ciencies, and the knowledge that their want of national 
faith is held up as a scorn and a warning among the 
nations of the earth, that induces them to wrap them- 
selves up in this dignified (?) gravity, and in a cold 
and repellent demeanour. An American does not even 
relax at his meals (to be sure, they occupy but a 
short space of time) ; " his attachment to his cares" is 



80 TEXAS AND THE 

greater than ours to our pleasures ; and it is this, as I said 
before, that renders him so uninteresting a character. 

The ladies cannot be uninteresting here ; they are so 
pretty, so gentle, and so feminine-looking. I have said that 
they walk alone, and unprotected ; at the same time, I ought 
to add, that so great is the respect in which ladies are held 
in America, that such a course can rarely be attended by 
any disagreeable consequences. The taste which the 
American ladies display in their dress is questionable. It 
is true, their gowns, bonnets, caps, &,c., all arrive from 
Paris, and I much question whether an American lady 
would condescend to wear any thing, which she even sus- 
pected was made by any other than Parisian fingers. 

The natural conclusion to be drawn from this fact 
would be that the American ladies dress well. I, however, 
am far from thinking so. It is true, that each individual 
article is well made, and the fashion correct. How can 
it be otherwise, when expense is not regarded, and Brau- 
drant's choicest show-rooms are ransacked for the New 
World ? Still the tout ensemhle is not pleasing ; tlie cap 
or bonnet, liowever pretty, is not put on well, and the 
colours are never tastefully mingled. 

Ladies in America are too fond of glaring colours ; and 
though their faces are lovely, yet they do not hold them- 
selves well, and their figures are rarely good. I tbink I 
never saw so much beauty, or loveliness, so varied in its 
character, as I did in New Orleans. There was the fair 
English-American, with her slight stooping figure, far 
surpassing, in charm of feature, the beauties of the " Old 
Country." The Creole-brunette, with her springy form, 
and active, graceful walk, cannot be passed unnoticed ; 
she looks very determined, however, and as if the strife 
of active and angry passions were often at war Avithin her 
bosom. But lastly, and far more beautiful than either, I 
noticed the rich dark cheek of the Quadroon. The elo- 
quent blood in her soft cheek speaks but too plainly of her 



GULF OF MEXICO. 81 

despised descent. She seems to blush at the injustice of 
man, who visits upon her the sins of her fathers. The 
passer-by arrogantly bids her stand aside, for he is holier 
than she ; in bitter contempt, the women of the land 
shrink from her contact, and the large sleepy eye, half hid 
by its curled fringes, is hardly raised, as gracefully and 
humbly she passes them by. Poor thing ! what wonder, 
if, feeling that she is neglecied and oppressed, she should 
turn in the desolation of her heart to other ties. Deprived 
too frequently of the many consolations of kindred affec 
tion ; a solitary link in the chain of human sympathies — 
brotherless, friendless, alone ! Let those who have never 
known what solitude of the heart is, speak harshly of the 
errors of tha despised Quadroon. I can but pity her. 

All these and much more, I saw and noticed during my 
first long drive through the busy streets of New Orleans. 
There is indeed much to see, and much to remark upon*; 
but close observation, after a time, becomes wearying, and 
I was not sorry to iind myself arrived at the hotel. What a 
really magnificent buildingitis, with its immense facades ; 
it quite strains ones eyes to catch a glimpse of its gigantic 
dome. The Americans certainly build remarkably fine- 
looking edifices sometimes. I am not sure, however, that 
they are intended to last. Yankees are too apt to chalk 
out fine plans, and commence splendid buildings, which 
after a time, and when only begun, they leave to Provi- 
dence to finish. 

" A new country is never too young for exertion — 
push on — keep moving — go ahead." This is the Ameri- 
can's motto. They forget their youth, and consequent 
want of strength, in this very love of exertion, and fond- 
ness for attempt and " movin." 

All this however does not apply to the St. Charles, which 
is finished, and is as good a specimen of a first-rate hotel 
as can be found any where. The establishment is con- 
ducted on a most liberal and splendid scale. The rooms 
for the table tVhotes are immense, and public eating goes 



82 TEXAS AND THE 

on at all hours of the day. Longer time is spent at table 
by the Americans at New Orleans, than in other parts of 
the Union, and greater attention is paid to the details of 
the cuisine. This may perhaps be accounted for by the 
admixture of French inhabitants, and consequent Gallic 
tastes and feelings. 

The ladies have a table (Vhote appropriated to them 
alone ; I could not understand why they were to have this 
indulgence, if indulgence it can be called, and I wondered 
at first why they could not wait till the horn* of their hus- 
band's return from 'change, for their afternoon, and, what 
we consider, principal meal. 

I found out during my stay, that eating was, to judge 
from the frequency of its recurrence, tlie favourite amuse- 
ment ofthe ladies of New Orleans. They breakfasted at nine, 
then a luncheon was spread at eleven, dinner at four, tea at 
six, and supper at nine o'clock ; at all these hours, a gong of 
tremendous power sounds clangingly through the hotel, 
summoning the fair boarders from their different apart- 
ments, to join in the social meal. 

About one hundred ladies, I was told, sat down daily to 
these feminine repasts. I do not think that English 
women would submit to this, and great credit is due the 
fair Americans for the submission with which they give 
in to the wishes of their "lords." To be sure there is 
much in habit, and American women know, from their 
marriage day, the delights of living publicly in boarding- 
houses, while they are altogether ignorant ofthe charms 
of a private life, the quiet delights of home, its necessary 
duties, and its chosen society. 

It is the want of employment to fill up their long leisure 
hours, (for though highly gifted, and carefully educated, 
American ladies are not all studious and literary) which 
increases the number of their meals, fosters their love of 
dress, and creates the tendency to gossip. 

The ladies here see but little of their husbands : it would 
be well were it otherwise. The influence of a wife is 



GULF OF MEXICO, 83 

silent but great ; and no women in any country are better 
formed to use their power with moderation and discretion, 
had they but the opportunity of exerting it. All day the 
husband is absent attending to his everlasting business, 
and contracting habits and manners, which the few short 
moments he devotes to ladies' society are insufficient to 
counteract. 

Still Avomen take a high position in the United States ; 
their education is superior to that of the men, and their 
writings have in late years raised them to an elevated 
grade on the ladder of literary fame. 

But I must return to the internal arrangements of this 
hotel, which, in fact, afford an excellent idea of the mode 
of life in this great capital of the Southern States. 

The evenings are occupied by music and dancing : the 
latter is a favourite amusement here, as I believe it to be 
generally in America. The ladies invite such gentlemen 
as they think agreeable, to take part in their amusements ; 
and every evening till long past midnight, I was kept 
awake by the stirring and animated sounds occasioned by 
a " carpet dance," with its accompanying giggling, fid- 
dling, and floor-shaking. Still, I was quite glad to hear 
them, for I had really felt for tlie monotonous lives led by 
the poor ladies, and had imagined the gentlemen capable 
of nothing but bargaining, liquoring and shaving.* I was 
wrong, and so have many travellers in the States been 
before me. Most of the latter have neither remained long 
enough in the country to discover the truth, nor have they 
ever sufficiently thrown away the veil of prejudice, so as 
to enable them to see otherwise than " through a glass 
darkly." 

Our private apartments were very comfortable, well 
carpeted, excellent fires, luxurious furniture, and curtains 
of the richest blue damask. The only hotel to which I 
can at all compare it, is that of "Les Princes" at Paris. 

* Anglice, taking your neighbour at a disadvantage. 



84 TEXAS AND THE 

I could almost have fancied myself in that region of 
luxury, good living, and civility ; there are white helps of 
the male sex, (our attendant was English,) and seven ex- 
cellent Parisian cooks ; I need not add that the cuisine 
was as good as possible. My bed-room was delightful ; 
such snow-white musquito-curtains, and endless rocking- 
chairs and Psyches ! really had it not been for the ap- 
pearance of the two former I should have found it hard to 
remember that I had not crossed the water. 

An American breakfast, (when it is good of its kind,) 
is not to be surpassed in any other country ; great variety 
offish and fruit, preserves of every kind, and cakes of all 
sizes and descriptions. The buffalo-tongues are very 
praiseworthy, and so are the Philadelphia hams, which 
they assert, (and I cannot deny,) " whip the Westphalia 
by a long chalk." I thought their far-famed buckwheat 
cakes delicious ; they are buttered and eaten when hot, — 
but how unwholesome I nothing but an American diges- 
tion could ventui'e to indulge in tliem habitually. 

The price of all these little enjoyments is rather high, 
in proportion to either Paris or London. For three 
rooms, food, lights, in short every thing (except wine) 
included for my husband, myself, and my maid, the 
charge was seventeen dollars a day ; but then it must be 
remembered that we dieted (Yankee again) in private. 

The day after our arrival, our new acquaintance Com- 
modore IMoore paid us a visit, accompanied by a General 
Euston. The former certainly did spin us some wonder- 
ful yarns, concerning the new country we were about to 
visit ; but it was all very amusing, and only made us the 
more determined to see and judge for ourselves.* 



* The poor Commodore since those days has done many 
wonderful things, besides saying them. I was quite sorry 
to read in a Texan paper, that he had been accused of 
piracy ; he certainly appeared ready to do any thing, (as 
the schoolboys say, " from pitch and toss to manslaugh- 
ter") for his country. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 85 

I did not see, in America, any of the offensive familiarity 
which is said to exist between masters and servants, or 
any of that objection on the part of the waiting class to 
attend as servants upon those, whom the accident or ac- 
quisition of wealth had placed for the time being in a su- 
perior situation of life. In America no honest calling is 
degrading, each man aspiring at some future period to 
hold as important a place in the world as another. Thus, 
while fulfilling the duties of a servant, he certainly 
feels himself upon an equality with his present em- 
ployer, w^ho may (however important his present situa- 
tion) have commenced life with as small an amount of 
the all-powerful cash as himself. This feeling, and these 
aspirations, naturally prevent any of the lowliness, and 
indeed servility, which is often the characteristic of ser- 
vants in aristocratic countries ; it does more, it no doubt 
induces that certainty of equality which to us is so objec- 
tionable. As sensible men, however, having entered into 
a temporary engagement and covenant to serve, and, 
therefore, to obey, they do not (at least those who wish to 
maintain a good reputation, and gratify their employers) 
indulge in useless vaunts of liberty and equality, but with- 
out servility, and with sufficient respect, do their duty 
during their voluntary engagem.ent, as well, or better, 
than the servants of many other coimtries. The terms of 
service over, the former master may shake hands with, 
and converse in familiar terms with his quondam servant, 
without fear of compromising his dignity, or coming in 
contact with language and habits inferior or different to 
his own. Some there must be, whose disposition and 
frame of mind are dangerously affected by this state of 
things ; who lose the sense of their temporary dependence, 

General Euston has likewise, I regret to learn, paid the 
debt of nature, having been murdered (poor old gentle- 
man) by a faction. These things appear more sad when 
one has known the parties, however slightly. 

8 



86 TEXAS AND THE 

in the broad sea of democratic and over-liberal opinions, 
but these instances, among a serious, methodical, and 
sensible people like the Americans, are rare, and by no 
means sufficient to controvert my opinion that, (to use 
the words of the French vi^riter, from whom I have pre- 
viously quoted,) " the relation of servants and masters is 
not disorganized." It is rather dangerous to take Eng- 
lish servants to the United States ; there are very few, 
comparatively speaking, whose attachment and good sense 
are proof against the tempting charms and delusions of 
nominal equality. We had, fortunately, many opportuni- 
ties during our stay of becoming acquainted with some of 
the most wealthy merchants of this wealthy city, and I 
did not fail to make every inquiry of them concerning its 
resources, its institutions, and its capabilities as a rising 
commercial capital. The situation of New Orleans is one 
of almost unparalleled eligibility. It can command twenty 
thousand miles of river navigation ; thus, indeed, having 
*' water privileges" on a large scale ; and then, with the 
sea, its navigation is perfectly easy, not only directly down 
the Mississippi, but by a canal and basin to the lake of 
Pontchartrain. Thus, its proximity to the ocean renders 
it almost a sea-port town. The immense quantity of cot- 
ton with which the city is literally choked up, during that 
part of the year when the crop is brought in, would alone 
give one some faint idea of the extent of its commerce. 
During the time we were in the harbour, there could not 
have been much fewer than sixteen hundred commercial 
flat-bottomed boats busily engaged in it. 

Louisiana, of which New Orleans is the capital, com- 
prised, in the year 1538, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, 
South Tennessee, and Missouri. It received its name 
from the French King. In 1718, the city of New Orleans 
was founded. In 1732, the population amounted to five 
hundred whites, and two thousand blacks. In 1812, 
Louisiana became one of the States of the Union. In this 
year, also, the first steamboat built on the Mississippi 



GULF OF MEXICO. 87 

came down the river, from Pittsburg to New Orleans. 
Soon after this, the war with England was concluded. 
But previously to this year, several new settlements had 
been made, and lands were colonized in Arkansas ; but 
the principal settlements were at Dauphin Island, Pensa- 
cola, and Mobile. In the year 1727, the Jesuits and Ur- 
suline nuns arrived from France, and many convents and 
religious edifices were erected. In 1730, the Council- 
House and Jail were built. Dui'ing this year, the price 
of a negro was one hundred and twenty-six dollars, now 
it averages five hundred I 

In 1769, the colony was ceded to Spain, and in the 
same year the yellow fever made its first appearance at 
New Orleans. The Cathedral, or Church of St. Louis, is 
one of the mos<^ interesting objects in the city, though, 
alas ! suffered to fall almost into ruins. It was built 
about this period, by the Spaniards. The architecture, 
though beautiful, is said by connoisseurs to be neither 
pure nor regular. The grand entrance, consisting of a 
semicircular arched door, with two Tuscan columns on 
either side, is in the middle of the front part of the build- 
ing, which is finely situated, in the centre of the Place 
d'Armes. 

On looking over the annual lists of the amount of ship- 
ping in the harbour, in learning the value of their cargo, 
and in comparing, one year with another, the census, and 
the revenue, one cannot but consider New Orleans as 
an unparalleled instance of the rapid increase of pros- 
perity. 

In the year 1802, two hundred and fifty-six vessels, of 
different kinds, entered the Mississippi, The population 
of the city, in 1810, was twenty-four thousand five hun- 
dred and fifty-two, having been trebled in seven years. 
As I before mentioned, the great epoch in the history of 
of this rising city, took place in the year 1812, when the 
first steamboat entered its harbour. In 1834, the city 
was first lighted with gas. In 1830, the population, in- 



88 TEXAS AND THE 

eluding blacks and whites, amounted to forty-nine thou- 
sand eight hundred and twenty-six. In ordinary years, 
the amount of deaths in New Orleans averages three 
thousand eight hundred. It is calculated, that about one 
in filly die of pulmonary consumption ; and five hundred, 
at least, in passing through the acclimating process. 

According to the official details in the record of the 
dead, during the year 1822, the largest number of deaths, 
in any one day, of yellow fever, was sixty ; and of other 
casualties, eighty. During 1841, the highest number, 
from yellow fever, was forty -three ; and the greatest mor- 
tality, sixty ; thus satisfactorily showing, that the health 
of the city is improving. 

The process of draining the immense morasses, which 
almost surround New Orleans, is attended with great 
difficulty, and proceeds but slowly. 

The greatest rise of the Mississippi takes place early in 
the summer, when the snows melt in the north and the 
hill country. When this rise takes place, the streets of 
New Orleans are three or four feet below the level of the 
river, and its inundations are sometimes of great service 
in cleansing and refreshing the city, during this season 
of heat and fever. 

There are many charitable associations in New Or- 
leans, and noble institutions for the relief of the sick and 
poor. The churches are handsome and numerous, and 
the prisons remarkably well conducted. 

The markets are clean, and more than usually well 
supplied with every necessary of life. Fruit is in great 
abundance ; apples, nuts of all kinds and sizes, from the 
cocoa to the peccan, and pine-apples in profusion, — the 
latter were introduced from the island of Cuba. 

But to return to the public buildings. We greatly re- 
gretted having been at New Orleans after the burning of 
the St. Charles' Theatre. I believe it was almost unri- 
valled, even in Europe, for its size, comfort, and tJie 
splendour of its decorations. The cotton presses on the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 89 

Levee are well worth seeing, as are also the Merchants' 
Exchange, and the Banks ; the City Exchange is also 
very handsome. 

Fires are very frequent at New Orleans, partly owing 
to the large proportion of wood used in erecting the 
houses. The fire arrangements are admirable. 

Their system of national education cannot be too 
highly praised. There is a compelled tax of one per 
cent, on all appraised property ; for this, every one re- 
ceives instruction for his children, be they ever so nume- 
rous. This education comprises every branch of know- 
ledge, and every sort of accomplishment. The masters 
themselves are people of acknowledged worth and conside. 
ration, and receive large salaries. On Washington's birth- 
day, thousands of these young citizens of the Republic 
were paraded through the streets, their teachers or go- 
vernors at their head ; they were on their way to church, 
to fete the memory of their national hero. I noticed one 
extremely pretty and lady-like person at the head of one 
of the lines of girls. She was very young, and held down 
her head, as if rather an unwilling sharer in the exhibi- 
tion. On inquiry, I found she was the wife of a military 
man, with a small income, and possessing great musical 
talent, had been appointed-singing mistress, with a 
salary of two hundred pounds per annum. To an Euro- 
pean, and especially to an Englishman, this admixture of 
the classes of society, seems at first both strange and ill- 
advised. But he should recollect, that there is not, as 
with us, a broad line of demarcation to separate the rich 
or the well-born, from the poor and low ; that each has a 
right to mingle with each, and that it is not the degrada- 
tion of poverty, but of vice and incapacity, which keeps 
one man below another. I am aware, though no politi- 
cian, that in thickly-populated countries, and in govern, 
ments such as ours, this system of education could not be 
carried out ; but in the States, where there is plenty of 
space for each man to run his career, without jostling his 

8* 



90 TEXAS AND THE 

neig-libour, where eourag-e, perseverance, and talent are 
sure to be rewarded with success, it is assuredly sound 
policy to raise as many useful citizens, and as few igno- 
rant and unprincipled ones as possible. 

The whole character of tlie city, particularly of that 
part which is called the French quarter, is very indica- 
tive of its Gallic origin. The names of the streets are 
principally French, with generally an English translation 
beneath, such as, " Rue des Grands Hommes,'''' " Great 
Men Street," "iJwe des Morales,'" "Moral Street," &c. 
There are few good roads, as I found to my particular 
inconvenience, being shaken and jolted in a manner per- 
fectly indescribable. The streets are wretchedly paved, 
but tlie carriages are good, and the springs on which 
they are hung, particularly safe and easy. 

Nothing can exceed the civility of the storekeepers. 
It is true, they will not put themselves much out of their 
way, but then a refusal or an excuse is made with polite- 
ness, and you are not pressed and urged to purchase, as 
you so often are in European shops. A stranger also 
should recollect that tlie value he sets upon his dollar, is 
very different from the estimation in which it is held 
here. He must learn to regard it as a sixpence, and part 
with it as such. Dollars are not scarce at New Orleans. 
As a proof of this, I will mention a trifling affair which 
occurred, I remember, soon afler our arrival ; one of our 
party went into a watchmaker's store, to purchase a 
glass for a watch. After a short delay, a gentleman 
emerged from an inner room, with his mouth filled, not 
only with the eternal quid, but with no small portion of 
his dinner besides. On hearing the demand, he very 
coolly replied, " Well now, as I'm eating my dinner, if 
you're going right up and down town, s'pose you call 
again, and see if I've done, and then we'll put a glass in 
that watch." His surprised customer took up his property, 
and slightly hinted that he would go to another store for 
his glass. No attempt was made to detain him — the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 91 

dollar was no more to the New Orleans trader, as I said 
before, than a sixpence. 

We had now been a fortnig-lit at anchor in the Missis- 
sippi, and, like true sailoi-s, were longing for a change 
and variety. On the 13th of December, therefore, it was 
with cheerful hearts, that the men manned the windlass, 
and prepared for sea. How I enjoyed tlieir impromptu 
songs ; the words were rough, and the airs were still 
more so. Still, as I heard the fine voice of the boatswain, 
leading off with 

The saucy schooner off she go, 
Merrily on to Texas ho I 

I was quite exhilarated, and felt as if no future tempests 
could lessen my love either for the ship or its element. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Sail for the Gulf of Texas — Galveston — Difficulty of crossing 
the bar at ihe mouth of the harbour — Captain Elliott — 
Texas, its position, resources, and extent. 

The power of armies is a visible thing, 
Formal, and circumscribed in time and space, 
But who the limits of that power shall trace, 
Which a brave people into light can bring, 
Or hide, at will, — for freedom combating 
By just revenge inflamed ? 

Wordsworth. 

Say, what is honour ? — Tis the finest sense 
Of justice which the human mind can frame. 

Wordsworth. 

Dec. 13. Left New Orleans, and made sail down the 
river. Wind and current both in our favour. Brought 
up at six o'clock in nine fathom water ; cold but fine. 



92 TEXAS AND THE 

Dec. 14. Working down the river ; moderate breezes 
and fine. At five o'clock, p. m. anchored in eight fathom 
water, with fifteen fathom cable. 

Dec. 15. Towards the close of this day we found our- 
selves near the southwest pass out of the river, and truly 
rejoiced we were, for we were quite tired of mud, and 
snags, and longed for the blue water of the deep sea. 

Dec. 16. Fresh breezes, and a bright sun, the weather 
was rather cold, but the freshness of the air coming over 
the sea was delightful, and we were all enjoying in anti- 
cipation, the delights of the wild country to which we 
were bound. 

Dec. 17. Strong breezes, and cloudy. The Dolphin 
seems delighted to be in her own element again, fresh 
water evidently does not agree with her ; she is going 
nine and ten knots an hour, and there is scarcely any 
motion, the wind is so fair. 

The land of Texas is very low, and the Guide-books 
mention three trees, the only ones on the island of Gal- 
veston, as a landmark. For these signs of vegetation we 
were anxiously looking on the morning of the second day 
from our leaving the river. In the meanwhile, a man 
was kept almost constantly in the chains sounding for 
bottom. This precaution is I believe highly necessary in 
this part of the Gulf. Late in the evening we sounded in 
ten fathom water. 

Dec. 18. Sounding all the morning — ten fathom, then 
eight, — seven — and five, in quick succession. This did 
not seem to me very agreeable, from the lowness of the 
island, and the circumstance of the wind blowing on 
shore ; there was a very thick sea-mist too, and we could 
scarcely see the length of the ship ahead. From time to 
time the fog however rolled suddenly away, and during 
one of these intervals, the man at the masthead sung 
out " land on the weather bow." 

This was at eleven o'clock, a. m. The wind had fresh- 
ened considerably, and there was a disagreeable drizzling 



GULF OF MEXICO. 93 

rain falling, when at a distance of three or four miles 
from Galveston we shortened sail, and at noon distinctly 
made out the town of Galveston. I beg- its pardon, I am 
aware that " city" is the correct term for so important a 
place. 

The fog and mist had by this time considerably lessened 
in density, and we could distinguish a few gray looking 
houses, a church or two, and some masts of vessels, but the 
latter were neither numerous nor imposing. Allowance 
must be made for this poorness of appearance, when we 
remember, that we saw all these things through an in- 
cessant rain, which made them, and indeed the whole 
prospect, look cheerless and forlorn. 

Before our arrival we had heard much of the dangers 
attending an entrance into the harbour. The small depth 
of water on its bar had always been held up to us in ter- 
rorem, and as a reason for avoiding this part of the coast 
in the Dolphin altogether. All these recollections made 
us naturally anxious for the appearance of the pilot, for 
whom we made a signal immediately after shortening 
sail. As he did not make his appearance we stood off 
again, and waited with some degree of impatience, in 
hopes of seeing his boat leave the shore. 

We spent at least three hours in this manner, shorten- 
ing the time as well as we could in abusing all the 
government authorities indiscriminately, and pilots in 
particular. At length, however, to our great relief, a 
large steamer, the New York, which we had observed 
some time previously occupied in getting up her steam, 
was seen coming towards us ; her high-pressure engine 
was puffing and blowing, like some huge elephant out of 
breath, and her deck covered with curious passengers. 

When she had arrived within speaking-trumpet dis- 
tance, the captain hailed us through this instrument, 
which is still in general use in American ships, and gave 
us the welcome information that he had a pilot on board. 
We were delighted ; as we now saw some chance of 



94 TEXAS AND THE 

coming to an anchor that day : the prospect of spending 
another night standing off and on was by no means 
agreeable. 

Before taking leave of us, the captain, in a true Yankee 
spirit of " making an operation," offered to tow us over 
the bar. This was on his own account, and for this piece 
of civility, and trifling assistance, the performance of 
which would have occupied him half an hour, he de- 
manded the moderate sum of one hundred dollars ! — of 
course the offer was declined ; however, as it was made 
civilly, hats were mutually raised in token of amity, and 
the New York puffed back to her station in the harbour. 

We had now received the pilot on board. He was an 
Englishman, and a good sailor, as well as a safe and ex- 
perienced pilot. There is at present a great want of 
these useful individuals at Galveston, and also, — as our 
own pilot informed us — an insufficiency of buoys ; a few 
rotten barrels being placed here and there, often in wrong 
places, and, not seldom, being removed by accident or 
malice. 

A strong northerly wind had prevailed for some days, 
and a considerable quantity of water had in consequence 
been blown out of the harbour ; the bar was thus less 
covered even than usual, and it became necessary to trip 
the vessel. This operation consists in running the guns 
forward, and shifting the ballast ; thus she was put on an 
even keel, and the chances of her bumping (as it is called) 
on the bar are considerably lessened. The crossing this 
formidable impediment was a moment of great excite, 
ment. The lead was thrown into the sea without inter- 
mission ; it was " by the mark four" — " quarter less 
three" — " by the mark two" — " quarter less two," called 
out rapidly one after another, by the man in the chains. 
Now was the trying moment; even the pilot looked 
anxious, and we every moment expected to feel the bot- 
tom. After the suspense of a minute, or indeed less, the 
pilot drew a long breath, and exclaimed "all safe, Sir, 



GULF OF MEXICO. 95 

now" — the guns were run aft again with all despatch, 
and we were steering straight into the harbour. 

After crossing the bar, there is an extremely narrow 
channel through which vessels must necessarily pass 
before they can arrive at a safe anchorage. In this 
channel we felt the bottom, or rather side, but it is of 
soft mud, and there is no danger in the contact. 

In another half hour we found ourselves safely an- 
chored in Galveston harbour, within a hundred and fifty 
yards of the strand, in four fathoms water. After dinner 
we were agreeably surprised by a visit from Captain 
Elliott, her Britannic Majesty's Charge d'Aftaires in this 
republic. We had heard, much to our regret, that Cap- 
tain Elliott was at Washington, the present seat of go- 
vernment, and had such been the case, we should have 
lost much useful information, as regards the republic, 
and infinite amusement and enjoyment personally. 

Previously to my arrival I confess to having known but 
little of Texas, its position, its resources, or its extent. It 
is just possible that my ignorance in this respect may be 
shared by others, and if so, some account of the repub^^c 
may not be unwelcome. 

Texas is bounded on the north, by the Red river, on 
the south by the Gulf of Mexico, on the east by the Sa- 
bine river and Louisiana, and on the west by the Rio 
grande del Norte. Comprising within these limits an 
area of 'nearly five hundred thousand square miles. It 
has more than three hundred miles of territory bordering 
on the Gulf of Mexico, its coast lying nearly N.W. and 
S.E. Supposing Texas to have an average breadth of 
between three to four hundred miles, and extending in a 
northwesterly direction for about seven hundred, its sur- 
face may be said to present an inclined plane gradually 
descending towards the sea. Towards the northwest is 
an elevated range of hills, (spurs of the Rocky Mountains) 
from whence several rivers take their source, flowing to- 



96 TEXAS AND THE 

wards the Gulf of Mexico, in a direction nearly parallel 
to each other, and about sixty miles apart. 

Texas has three divisions of country differing from 
each other to a remarkable extent, not only as regards its 
surface and soil, but also its climate. These are termed 
respectively, by its inhabitants, the Low, the Rolling, and 
the Hilly Country. The first of these, bordering upon 
the Gulf of Mexico, and along the whole line of coast, 
is a perfectly level low tract extending about sixty or 
seventy miles. To these lowlands, which are certainly 
not healthy, but wonderfully rich and productive, suc- 
ceed the beautifully undulating Rolling Prairies ; no- 
thing can surpass this portion of Texas in natural attrac- 
tions : its ever verdant prairies resemble our most beautiful 
parks ; magnificent clumps of timber are scattered over 
its surface, and its valleys are watered by quick-running 
limpid streams. The third division comprises the high, 
broken, mountainous tract more to the north, at a dis- 
tance of three or four hundred miles from the sea-coast ; 
liere are said to be table-lands, with a soil scarcely infe- 
rior to the former divisions, and fully equal to either of 
the others in beauty and climate. This country, as also 
the entire tract to the northward, has not yet been suffi- 
ciently explored to form any very accurate judgment of 
its merits. 

The principal rivers, commencing from the eastward, 
are the Sabine and the Neches, both flowing into the 
Sabine Lake, out of which there is a narrow inlet to the 
Gulf, with a bar across the channel, having only six feet 
of water ; this is the only mud-bar on the coast, those of 
all the liarbours westward being of hard sand. The 
Trinity flows into Galveston Bay, the Brazos directly 
into the Gulf, with a most dangerous bar at its embou- 
chure, having not more than five or six feet of water. 

The Colorado flows into the Bay of Matagorda, which, 
like the Bay of Galveston, and almost all the other bays 



GULF OF MEXICO. 97 

on this coast, is only separated from the Gulf of Mexico 
by a narrow strip of land rarely more than a mile or two 
in breadth. 

The bay is nearly forty miles in length, and has a bar 
at its entrance with seven feet of water. The Guada- 
loupe, St. Antonio, and Neches, are inferior in size to 
those I have previously mentioned, but, like them, flow 
into similar long narrow bays, separated from the sea by 
a sandy ridge of a mile or more in breadth. The Bay of 
Aransas, which receives the Guadaloupe and San Antonio 
rivers, is connected with the sea by an extremely narrow 
channel, with six feet and a half of water over its bar. 
The Rio Grande del Norte, forming the western boimdary 
of Texas, rises in the Rocky Mountains ; it is said not to 
be navigable, on account of its rapids, till within two 
hundred miles of the sea, near the town of Loredo; 
thence, to the Gulf, it is described as a noble stream, 
three or four hundred yards wide, and of considerable 
depth. 

The Republic of Texas most undoubtedly owes its 
origin to Moses Austin, who first conceived the plan of 
establishing a considerable colony in that country. This 
was eventually effected by his son, Stephen Austin, 
assisted by Mr. Williams ; both Americans by birth, and 
men of distinguished talent and enterprise. With the 
latter we had the good fortune to become acquainted in 
Texas, and had to thank him for a great deal of valuable 
information regarding the country and its history. Pre- 
vious to the year 1821, the central part of Texas appears 
to have been only frequented by roving bands of Indians. 
There were a few settlements on its eastern frontier, bor- 
dering upon Louisiana ; and the Mexicans, to the amount 
of four or five thousand, were established in the neigh- 
bourhood of San Antonio de Bexar, and Goliad, or La 
Badia. 

Moses Austin received his original grant in the year 
1820, when Mexico was under the rule of Spain, and 

9 



98 TEXAS AND THE 

died soon after in the United States, whilst preparing to 
put his plans for colonization into effect. Soon after his 
father's death, Stephen Austin started with a small body 
of settlers from New Orleans, and after arriving- in Texas, 
having- carefully explored the country, selected, as the 
lands most desirable, a tract of country lying between the 
Brazos and the Colorado river, at about seventy miles 
distance from the sea. After a short period, he again 
returned to the United States, and made arrangements for 
colonizing on a more extended scale. 

In the mean time, Mexico had finally succeeded in 
throwing off the yoke of Spain. On Austin's return, 
therefore, to his colony, in 1822, what was his mortifica- 
tion to find that, before he could proceed with the distri- 
bution of lands, it would be necessary for him to proceed 
to Mexico, to solicit from the new government a confirma- 
tion of the grant made to his father I It was at this 
period, and whilst the Cortes were debating upon Austin's 
petition, and also other applications of a similar nature, 
that Iturbide overthrew the existing government, and pro- 
claimed himself Emperor. 

Austin had no difficulty in obtaining the object of his 
visit. Mexico has always been too weak to govern her 
distant provinces, and, at this period, being utterly unable 
to protect her settlers in Texas, and indeed, her own 
frontiers, from the ravages of hostile Indians, she was 
only too glad to avail herself of any offers made by 
foreigners to colonize and settle in the rich plains of 
Texas. This seems to have continued to be the prevailing 
feeling of the successive governments in Mexico, from 
1822 till the year 1830; and, in that interval, almost the 
whole of Texas was granted to different individuals, who 
were called impresarios, or contractors. The contract 
was, that they Avere to introduce into the country, and 
settle a stipulated number of families, in order to be 
entitled to the land granted by government. To return, 
however, to Stephen Austin. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 99 

Scarcely had Iturbide granted his petition, when the 
Emperor was himself dethroned by Santa Anna, who 
immediately annulled all grants of land made by his pre- 
decessor in power. Thus, Austin had again to solicit 
from the Cortes a confirmation of his former grant. This 
he at last succeeded in obtaining, and soon after returned 
to Texas. There he had to struggle with a variety of 
difficulties. His infant colony, now consisting of about 
three hundred families, was to be governed without any 
controlling power, unless we except the moral influence 
which his superior mental qualities enabled him to exer- 
cise over the rude settlers. The population was now 
rapidly increasing. In the year 1825, nearly the whole 
of Texas had been granted away to impresarios, and in 
1830, we find that settlements had sprung up in every 
part of the country. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Political position of Texas during the first years of her colo- 
nization — Events which were the more immediate cause of 
her Declaration of Independence. 

And from these grounds, concluding as we doe, 
Warres causes diuerse; so by consequence 
Diuerse we must conclude their natures too; 
For warre, proceeding from the Omnipotence, 
No doubt is holy, wise, and without error. 
The sword of justice, and of sin the terror. 

Lord Brooke. 

No country has been more calumniated and misrepre- 
sented than Texas. She has been called the Alsatia of 
the United States ; and again, the " pestiferous swamps 
of Texas," " pillaged from the too confiding Mexicans," 



100 TEXAS AND THE 

&c. See. Tlie greater part of these misstatements, that 
have appeared in England, concerning Texas, are said to 
liave been circulated by the Mexican bond-holders, and 
others interested in the prosperity of Mexico.* The 
Americans, however, have been far more bitter in their 
attacks upon the unoffending Republic. The Southern 
States were doubtless influenced in their conduct by 
jealousy of the far superior soil and climate of Texas, 
and her probable commercial advantages. 

The Northern States of America, on the other hand, are 
ranged against the Republic, on account of the existence 
of slavery in the country, and from a feeling that the 
interests of Texas are tliereby connected with the slave- 
holding States of tlie Union, and thus inereasing their 
power. 

It appears to me, that few people have ever had more 
just cause than the Texans, for throwing off an oppressive 
yoke, and separatmg themselves from a nation, which had 
so long proved its incapacity even for self-government. 
Previous to Texas declaring her independence, the Mexi- 
can Republic had been constantly a prey to internal dis- 
sensions ; and civil war, in all its horrors, had desolated 
the country. Her political institutions had been changed, 
or overthrown, according to the interest or caprice of each 

* The Mexican debt to British bond-holders amounts to 
nearly ten millions sterling, and Santa Anna, in the year 
1837, either despairing of ever recovering Texas, or 
hoping to acquire powerful allies in the Mexican bond- 
holders, made over to that body lands in Texas to the 
extent of forty millions of acres, as further security for 
the principal and interest of their bonds. These lands 
were to be specially hypothecated, until the total extinc- 
tion of the bonds, and the government engaged to give 
complete possession to the guaranteed lands. This trans- 
action is altogether so strange and ridiculous, as to be 
scarcely credible. 



GULF OF MEXICO, 101 

successive military chief of the country. Tlie rule of 
these political leaders was invariably marked by blood- 
shed, cruelty, and oppression, and the country was in a 
constant state of anarchy and revolution. 

I shall now endeavour to show the political position of 
Texas during the first years of her colonization, and 
afterwards to describe the events which were the more 
immediate cause of her declaration of independence. 
Under the constitution of 1824, Mexico was a confederated 
Republic, somewhat similar to the United States, having 
a President, Vice-President, Senate, and a House of Repre- 
sentatives, as a central government. Each State had, 
however, its separate independent government. The 
Mexican government, as I have before mentioned, liaving 
found itself obliged, for its own security, to encourage 
colonization in Texas, declared by a decree of the Cortes, 
dated 7th May, 1824 :— 

" That Texas is to be annexed to the Mexican province 
of Cohahuila, until it is of sufficient importance to form a 
separate State, when it is to become an independent 
State of the Mexican Republic, equal to the other States 
of which the same is composed, free, sovereign, and inde- 
pendent, in whatever exclusively relates to its internal 
government and administration." 

This decree was declared " inviolable," and the act 
says, " can never be reformed." 

It was then, on the faith of this decree, that new settlers 
were constantly arriving in Texas, from all countries, and 
this state of things continued till the year 1830, when the 
hitherto increasing prosperity of the country received its 
first check. 

Bustamente, an adventurer, who by intrigue or blood- 
shed, had contrived to possess himself of the first office in 
the Mexican Republic, prohibited the furthur ingress of fo- 
reigners, and issued several decrees inimical to the interests 
of Texas. The Mexican government, apparently jealous 
of its rising influence and prosperity, seems now to have 

9* 



102 TEXAS AND THE 

made several enactments, at variance with the constitu- 
tion of 1824. To effect these, it vi^as necessary to introduce 
a considerable force of Mexican soldiers into the country ; 
tlius, it eventually ended in Texas being placed almost 
entirely under military rule. It w^ould be difficult to give 
an adequate idea of the numerous acts of injustice and 
oppression to v^^hich the settlers were subjected at this 
period. They were at length driven to resistance ; and 
the military commandants, or governors, were soon forced 
out of the country, and with them the wliole of the 
Mexican troops. 

The oppressive rule of Bustamente was, fortunately, 
brought to a conclusion in the year 1832. His object had 
been to establish a central government, instead of the 
federal constitution, but finding himself unable to cope 
with the superior mental powers and military conduct of 
Santa Anna, he resigned his office in favour of General 
Pedraza, and early in 1833, Santa Anna was proclaimed 
President. 

The Tcxans having now had sufficient experience of 
tlie bad effiicts arising from their being under the admi- 
nistration of the State of Cohahuila, resolved to petition the 
Supreme Government for a separation of the provinces, 
and demanded that Texas should be granted an indepen- 
dent state government, in conformity with the federal 
compact, and Act of Cortes, of 1824. 

The memorial set forth, that Texas was virtually 
without any government at all ; tliat the language of the 
people was diffijrent ; that Cohahuila and Texas were 
altogether dissimilar in soil, climate, and natural produc- 
tions ; that owing to the numerical inequality of their re- 
spective representatives, the enactment of laws beneficial 
to Texas could only emanate from the " generous courtesy" 
of her constitutional partner, and that legislative advan- 
tages to the one might, from incompatibility of interests, 
be ruinous to the other. 

Protection from Indian depredations, they declared to 



GULF OF MEXICO. 103 

be of vital importance to Texas, which protection Cohahuila 
was unable to render. The Indians in their immediate 
neighbourhood had been denied justice, which would 
be granted by independent Texas. Finally, Texas pos- 
sessed the necessary elements for a state government, and 
for her attachment to the federal constitution and to the 
republic, they pledged their lives and honours. 

Stephen Austin was the person selected by the people 
to proceed to Mexico, and to submit their petition for the 
consideration of the Cortes. Austin, after waiting nearly 
a year in the capital, and being able to gain no reply to 
the petition with which he had been charged, wrote to the 
authorities in Texas, recommending them at once to or- 
ganize a State, de facto, without waiting for the decision 
of Congress. 

This was considered by the government as a treason, 
able proceeding, and shortly afterwards Austin was 
arrested at Sattillo, whilst on his return to Texas. Being 
brought back to the capital, he was imprisoned in the 
dmigeons of the Inquisition for upwards of a year. He 
did not return to Texas till more than two years had elapsed 
from the date of his departure, and not until Santa Anna 
had overthrown the federal constitution of the Republic, 
and established in its place a Central Consolidated Govern- 
ment, rendering him wholly independent of the States of 
the Confederacy, and thus, in fact, becoming military 
dictator of Mexico. 

Several of the States were of course opposed to this 
change : some, indeed, resorted to arms, but were unable 
to resist the power of the dictator. The constitutional 
authorities of Cohahuila and Texas assembled at Mondova, 
and solemnly protested against this change of government. 
They were, however, driven from office by a military 
force under General Cos. The government was then 
dissolved ; and the Governor, and other members of the 
State legislature, were imprisoned. Thus, the central 
government was established — in opposition to the will of 



104 TEXAS AND THE 

the States and of the people — by the forcible and uncon- 
stitutional destruction of the social compact which they 
had sworn to support. It was at this juncture that 
Austin was released ; and Santa Anna, becoming- alarmed 
at the public meetings, and various demonstrations of 
opposition in Texas, determined on sending Austin back 
to his country as a mediator. 

At a public meeting, soon after his return to Texas, he 
made the following speech, giving very fully his opinions 
of the state of affairs, and also recommending such mea- 
sures as he thought advisable to be pursued. 

" I left Texas," said Mr. Austin, "in April, 1833, as 
the public agent of the people, for the purpose of applying 
for the admission of this country into the Mexican con- 
federation, as a state separate from Cohahuila. This ap- 
plication was based upon the constitutional and vested 
rights of Texas, and was sustained by me in the city of 
Mexico to the utmost of my abilities. No honourably 
means were spared to effect the objects of my mission, 
and to oppose the forming of Texas into a territorj^,' which 
was attempted. I rigidly adhered to the instructions and 
wishes of ray constituents, so far as they were com- 
municated to me. My efforts to serve Texas involved me 
in the labyrinth of Mexican politics ! I was arrested, and 
have suffered a long persecution and imprisonment. 

" I consider it to be my duty to give an account of these 
events to my constituents, and will, therefore, at this time, 
merely observe that I have never, in any manner, agreed 
to any thing, or admitted any thing, that would compro- 
mise the constitutional or vested rights of Texas. These 
rights belong to the people, and can only be surrendered 
by them. 

" I fully hoped to have found Texas at peace, and in 
tranquillity, but regret I find it in commotion ; all dis- 
organized, all in anarchy, and threatened with immediate 
hostilities. This state of things is deeply to be lamented ; 
it is a great misfortune, but it is one which has not been 



GULP OF MEXICO. 105 

produced by any acts of the people of this country. On 
the contrary, it is the natural and inevitable consequence 
of the revolution that has spread all over Mexico, and of 
the imprudent and impolitic measures, both of the g-eneral 
and state governments, with regard to Texas. The people 
here are not to blame, and cannot be justly censured. 
They are farmers, cultivators of the soil, and are pacific 
from interest, from occupation, and from inclination. 
They have uniformly endeavoured to sustain the con- 
stitution and the public peace, and have never deviated 
from their duty as Mexican citizens. 

" If any acts of imprudence have been committed by 
individuals, they evidently resulted from the revolutionary 
state of the whole nation, the imprudent and censurable 
conduct of the state authorities, and the total want of a 
local g-overnment in Texas. 

" It is, indeed, a source of surprise and creditable con- 
gratulation, that so few acts of this description have 
occurred under the peculiar circumstances of the times. 
It is, however, to be remembered, that acts of this nature 
were not the acts of the people, nor is Texas responsible 
for them. They were, as I before observed, the natm-al 
consequences of the revolutionary state of the Mexican 
nation ; and Texas certainly did not originate that revo- 
lution ; neither have the people, as a people, participated 
in it. The consciences and hands of the Texans are free 
from censure, and clean. 

" The revolution in Mexico is drawing to a close. The 
object is, to change the form of government, destroy the 
federal constitution of 1824, and establish a central or 
consolidated government. The states are to be converted 
into provinces. 

" Whetlier the people of Texas ought or ought not to 
agree to this change, and relinquish all or a part of their 
constitutional and vested rights, under the constitution of 
1824, is a question of the most vital importance ; one that 
calls for the deliberate consideration of the people, and 



106 TEXAS AND THE 

can only be decided by them, fairly convened for the 
purpose. 

" As a citizen of Texas, I have a right to an opinion on 
so important a matter. I have no other riglit, and pretend 
to no other. In the report wliich I consider it my duty 
to make to my constituents, I intend to give my view^s on 
the present situation of tlie country, and especially as to 
the constitutional and natural rights of Texas, and will, 
therefore, at this time, merely touch this subject. 

" Under the Spanish government, Texas v^^as a separate 
and distinct province. As such it had a separate and 
distinct local organization. It was one of the unities 
that composed the general mass of the nation, and as 
such participated in the war of the revolution, and was 
represented in the constituent Congress of Mexico, that 
formed the constitution of 1824. This constituent Con- 
gress, so far from destroying this unity, expressly re- 
cognised and confirmed it by the law of May 7, 1824, 
which united Texas with Cohahuila, provisionally, under 
the especial guarantee of bein^ made a state of the 
Mexican confederation, as soon as it possessed the neces- 
sary elements. 

" That law, and the federal constitution, gave to Texas 
a specific political existence, and vested in its inhabitants 
special and defined rights, which can only be relinquished 
by the people of Texas, acting for themselves, as a unity, 
and not as a part of Cohahuila, for the reason that the 
union with Cohahuila was limited, and only gave power 
to the state of Cohahuila and Texas to govern Texas for 
the time being, but always subject to the vested rights of 
Texas. The State, therefore, cannot relinquish those 
vested rights, by agreeing to the change of government, 
or by any other act, unless expressly authorized by the 
people of Texas to do so ; neither can the general govern- 
ment of Mexico legally deprive Texas of them, without 
the consent of the people. These are my opinions. 

" An important question now presents itself to the 



p 



GULF OF MEXICO. 107 



people of this country. The federal constitution of 1824 
is about to be destroyed, and a central government esta- 
blished ; and the people will soon be called upon to say 
whether they agree to this chang-e or not. This matter 
requires tlie most calm discussion, the most mature de- 
liberation, and the most perfect union. How is this to be 
had ? I see but one way, and that is by a general con- 
sultation of the people, by means of delegates elected for 
the purpose, with full powers to give such an answer, in 
the name of Texas, to this question, as they may deem 
best, and to adopt such measures as the tranquillity and 
salvation of the country may require. 

" It is my duty to state, that General Santa Anna ver- 
bally and expressly authorized me to say to the people of 
Texas, that he was their friend, that he wished for their 
prosperity, and would do all he could to promote it ; and 
that in the new constitution, he would use his influence 
to give to the people of Texas a special organization, 
suited to their education, habits, and situation. 

" Several of the most influential and intelligent men in 
Mexico, and especially tlie Minister of Relations and War, 
expressed themselves in the same manner. These decla- 
rations afford another and a more urgent necessity for a 
general consultation, of all Texas, in order to inform the 
general government, and especially General Santa Anna, 
what kind of organization will suit the education, habits, 
and situation of this people. 

" It is also proper for me to state, that in all my con- 
versations with the President and Ministers, and men of 
influence, I advised that no troops should be sent to 
Texas, and no cruisers along the coast. I gave it as my 
decided opinion, that the inevitable consequence of send- 
ing an armed force to this country, would be war. I 
statea that there was a sound and correct moral principle 
in the people of Texas, that was abundantly sufficient to 
restrain, or put down, all turbulent and seditious move- 
ments, but that this moral principle could not, and would 



108 TEXAS AND THE 

not, unite with any armed force sent against this conntry. 
On the contrary, it would resist and repel it, and ought 
to do so. 

" This point presents another strong reason why the 
people of Texas should meet in general consultation. 
This country is now in anarchy, threatened with hostili- 
ties ; armed vessels are capturing all they can catch on 
the coast, and acts of piracy are said to be committed 
under cover of the Mexican flag. Can this state of things 
exist without precipitating the country into a war ? I 
think it cannot ; and, therefore, believe, that it is our 
bounden and solemn duty, as Mexicans and as Texans, 
to represent the evils that are likely to result from this 
mistaken and most impolitic policy in the military move- 
ments. 

" My friends, I can truly say, that no one has been, or 
is now, more anxious than myself to keep trouble away 
from this country. No one has been, or now is, more 
faithful to his duty as a Mexican citizen, and no one has 
personally sacrificed, or suffered more in the discharge of 
this duty. I have uniformly been opposed to have any 
thing to do with the family political quarrels of the 
Mexicans. 

" Texas needs peace, and a local government ; its in- 
habitants are farmers, and they need a calm and a quiet 
life. But how can I, or any one, remain indifferent, 
when our rights, our all, appear to be in jeopardy ; and 
when it is our duty, as well as our obligation, as good 
Mexican citizens, to express our opinions on the present 
state of things, and to represent our situation to the go- 
vernment ? It is impossible. The crisis is such, as to 
bring it home to the judgment of every man, that some- 
thing must be done, and that without delay. The ques- 
tion will, perhaps, be asked, what are we to do ? I have 
already indicated my opinion. Let all personalities, or 
divisions, or excitements, or passion, or violence, be ba- 
nished from among us. Let a general consuitation of the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 109 

people of Texas be convened as speedily as possible : to 
be composed of the best and most calm, and intelligent 
and tirm men in the country ; and let them decide what 
representations ought to be made to the general govern- 
ment, and what ought to be done in future." 

I have copied at flill length the sentiments and opinions 
of Austin, which he expressed on his return from Mexico, 
because his opinion on this important subject had great 
weight with all parties. The character of Austin stood 
high, as an unprejudiced observer, a just man, and a dis- 
interested member of the state. Even the Mexicans, 
though they had uniformly oppressed, and persecuted 
him, yet in the main, did justice to his unbending princi- 
ples of honour and integrity. The account given, on the 
authority of such a man as Austin, of the motives and 
grievances which influenced the colonists, should, I think, 
go far in refutation of the many unjust, and ill-founded 
charges that have been made against the Texan people. 

Though repeatedly stigmatized, as owing their origin 
to ruffians, and runaway rogues from every part of the 
world, we find the new settlers influenced in their strug- 
gles for freedom, by feelings of which more civilized, and 
longer established countries, might be justly proud. 

The colonists certainly were inclined to treat the 
opinions of Austin with deference, and to be guided by 
his judgment; and it is probable, that had Mexico, at 
this crisis, adopted conciliating measures, and acted with 
common justice towards the colony, the progress of dis- 
affection and revolt would have been arrested, and Texas 
would have been retained as one of the States of the con- 
federacy. 

How long, however, it would have continued so, it is 
not for me to determine ; it is not probable, that a 
country formed of such independent spirits, would have 
remained under any yoke, particularly that of a state 
where the language and habits were so essentially diffe- 

10 



110 TEXAS AND THE 

rent from their own, and whose capital was distant from 
their frontier at least twelve hundred miles. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Progress of the struggle for Texan Independence — Declaration 
of the people of Texas in General Convention assembled — 
Cruelty of General Santa Anna — Battle of San Jacinto — 
Total rout of the Mexican army. 

And tell me haughty harte, confess a truth, 
What man was aye so safe in glorie's porte ? 
But traynes of treason (oh the more the ruth) 
Could undermine the bulwarks of this forte, 
And raze his ramparts down in sundrie sort ? 
Search all ihy books, and thou shalt find therein, 
That honour is more harde to holde than winne. 

Gascoigne. 

In conformity with the advice of Austin, committees 
of safety and vigilance were now formed, and resolutions 
passed, to insist on their rights, under the federal consti- 
tution of 1824. Troops were organized, and every pre- 
paration made to resist the Mexican forces, which were 
expected to be sent against them. In these anticipations 
they were not disappointed ; General Cos soon after 
arrived at Copano, and marched thence to Bexar. 

The first meeting of the hostile troops was at Gonzales. 
The Mexicans, in an attack upon the town, were repulsed 
with great bravery, and suffered considerable loss, both in 
killed and wounded. Shortly after this, a more important 
victory was gained, in the capture of the town, and gar- 
rison of Goliad, containing a great quantity of military 



GULF OF MEXICO. Ill 

stores, besides three hundred stand of arms, and two 
brass cannon. This was followed by tlie election of 
General Austin, as Commander-in-Chief of the Texan 
army ; and the new leader, under the banner of the 
Mexican federal constitution, immediately marched upon 
Bexar, a town strongly garrisoned by the Mexican troops, 
under General Cos. 

After several engagements in the neighbourhood, which 
invariably resulted in favour of the colonists, the town of 
Bexar was stormed by a party of three hundred volunteers. 
The Mexicans behaved with determined bravery, but were 
unable to withstand the fury of their assailants ; upwards 
of three hundred had fallen before the unerring rifles of 
the Texans, and on the fourth day the garrison agreed to 
capitulate. 

General Cos and his party were allowed to return into 
Mexico with their arms and private property, under their 
parole of honour, that they would never again assist in 
any way, to oppose the re-establishment of the federal 
constitution of 1824. The Texans, by the achievement, 
gained possession of a large quantity of military stores, 
including nineteen pieces of ordnance and two swivel 
guns, several hundred stand of arms, and abundance of 
ammunition. 

The country was now freed for the present from 
Mexican troops, and a general convention of delegates, 
from the different municipalities of Texas, was forthwith 
held at San Filipe de Austin. On the 3d of November, 
1335, a state government was organized for Texas, and 
their motives and principles proclaimed in the following 
manifesto : — 

" Declaration of the people of Texas in general con- 
vention assembled. 

" Whereas, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and 
other military chieflains, liave, by force of arms, over- 
thrown the federal institutions of Mexico, and dissolved 
the social compact which existed between Texas and the 



112 TEXAS AND THE 

other members of the Mexican confederacy ; now, the 
good people of Texas, availing themselves of their natural 
rights, solemnly declare — 

" First. — That they have taken up arms in defence of 
their rights and liberties, w^hich are threatened by the en- 
croachments of military despots, and in defence of the 
republican principles of the federal constitution of Mexico, 

" Second. — That Texas is no longer morally or civilly 
boimd by the compact of Union ; yet stimulated by the 
generosity and sympathy common to a free people, they 
offer their support and assistance to such of the members 
of the Mexican Confederacy, as will take up arms against 
military despotism. 

" Third. — That they do not acknowledge that the pre- 
sent authorities of the nominal Mexican Republic have 
the right to govern within the limits of Texas. 

" Fourth. — That they will not cease to carry on war 
against the said authorities, whilst their troops are within 
the limits of Texas. 

"Fifth. — That they hold it to be their right, during 
the disorganization of the Federal System, and the reign 
of despotism, to withdraw from the Union, to establish an 
independent government, or to adopt such measures as 
they may deem best calculated to protect their rights and 
liberties; but that they will continue faithful to the 
Mexican Government, so long as that nation is governed 
by the constitution and laws that were formed for the 
government of the political association. 

" Sixth. — That Texas is responsible for the expenses of 
her armies now in the field. 

" Seventh. — That the public faith of Texas is pledged 
for the payment of any debts contracted by her agents. 

" Eighth. — That she will reward by donations in land, 
all who volunteer their services in her present struggle, 
and receive them as citizens. 

" These Declarations we solemnly avow to the world, 
and call God to witness their truth and sincerity, and in- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 113 

voke defeat and disgrace upon our heads should we prove 
guilty of duplicity." 

B. T. Archer, President. 

The struggle for independence had now fairly com- 
menced ; two months had scarcely elapsed after the de- 
parture of General Cos, when almost all the military 
resources of Mexico were brought against Texas, directed 
by Santa Anna in person. This invasion seems to have 
occurred at a most unfortunate period for the settlers. 
Austin, with several others of their most influential men, 
had been sent as Commissioners to the United States, 
to seek assistance from those who might be expected to 
sympathize in the cause of independence, and another 
party had marched towards Matamoros on the Mexican 
frontier. 

The town of San Antonio de Bexar was thus left de- 
fenceless, its garrison of one hundred and forty men 
being obliged to take refuge in the fort of the Alamo on 
the opposite side of the river. Here they defended them- 
selves for a fortnight against a force amounting to four 
thousand men. The Mexicans though frequently re- 
pulsed, at length succeeded in taking the place by storm, 
and the whole of its garrison were put to the sword. 
After the final struggle, there were left but seven men, 
and these were refiised quarter. It is also asserted that 
such were the feelings of exasperation evinced by the 
Mexicans from the determined resistance made by the 
Texans, that the bodies of the dead were subjected to 
every sort of indignity. The obstinate courage of the 
Texans is said to have caused them a loss of nearly 
fifteen hundred men, and no treatment was thought sufii- 
ciently bad for their conquered foes, living or dead. 

Thus fell the Alamo after a defence highly creditable 
to Texan bravery and military skill. Shortly after this 
period, the invaders obtained another advantage over 
Colonel Fannin and a body of three hundred men. In 
this-instance the Mexicans behaved with almost unparal- 

10* 



114 TEXAS AND THE 

Icled treachery and cruelty. Santa Anna came up with 
Colonel Fannin and his little army, as they were retreat- 
ing before the superior numbers of the Mexicans. The 
Texan Colonel, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, 
engaged the enemy and fought with desperation till dark- 
ness put an end to the conflict. Four or five hundred of 
the enemy had fallen before the deadly aim of the Texans, 
who now entrenched themselves in the prairie, resolved to 
sell their lives as dearly as possible. During the night, 
however, the Mexicans received a reinforcement, and 
Colonel Fannin determined to surrender, provided he could 
obtain an honourable capitulation. The propositions made 
by Colonel Fannin were accepted by Santa Anna, and 
terms of capitulation were then signed and formally in- 
terchanged. 

According to these terms, the Texans were to surrender, 
and to give up their arms, on condition of their lives being 
spared, and their being allowed to retire into the United 
States. No sooner, however, were they in his power than 
Santa Anna, totally regardless of faith and honour, order- 
ed them all to be massacred, under circumstances of ag- 
gravated cruelty. 

On the 11th of March a convention assembled at 
Washington, had declared Texas a " free, sovereign and 
independent republic." A constitution was framed, and 
an executive government appointed, to act until other 
elections should be made by the people. The provisional 
government retired to Galveston Island, where they re- 
mained until the conclusion of the war. 

The Texans were now thoroughly exasperated by the 
cruelty and want of faith they had experienced at the 
hands of the Mexicans, and fortunately for them, Santa 
Anna found at length a rival more than his match in 
General Houston. The Texan army under his command 
was now posted on the Colorado river, and amounted to 
about twelve hundred men. The enemy, having received 
considerable reinforcements, occupied the river both above 



GULF OF MEXICO. 115 

and bolow him ; General Houston, therefore, apprehensive 
of being surrounded, deemed it advisable to retire to the 
Brazos, which he crossed on the 12th of April : thence he 
led his troops to the Buffalo Bayou, and down its right 
bank to within a short distance of its junction with the 
San Jacinto river. 

The Mexican army soon approached, and occasional 
skirmishes took place during the day, until Santa Anna 
withdrew his troops to a position on the banks of the San 
Jacinto, and there commenced a fortification about a mile 
distant from the Texan camp. Houston had ordered the 
bridge, on the only road communicating with the Brazos, 
to be destroyed, thus cutting off all possibility of the ene- 
my's escape. The Texans commenced the attack at half 
past three, and a most sanguinary conflict ensued. The 
Colonists fought as men only do when they contend for 
life and freedom, and they were irresistible. I extract 
the following details from General Houston's report of the 
battle of San Jacinto. " About nine o'clock on the 
morning of the 21st, the enemy were reinforced by five 
hundred choice troops, under the command of General 
Cos, increasing their effective force to upwards of fifteen 
hundred men, whilst our aggregate force for the field 
numbered only seven hundred and eighty -three" . . . 
"The conflict lasted about eighteen minutes fi-om the 
time of close action until we were in possession of the 
enemy's encampment, taking one piece of cannon, four 
stand of colours, all their camp equipage, stores and 
baggage." ..." The conflict in the breastwork last- 
ed but a few moments ; many of the troops encountered 
hand to hand, and not having the advantage of bayonets 
on our side, our riflemen used their pieces as war-clubs, 
breaking many of them off at the breach. The rout com- 
menced at half-past four, and the pursuit by the main 

army continued until twilight." "In the battle, 

tlie enemy's loss was six hundred and thirty killed, 
among whom was one General Oflicer, four Colonels 



116 TEXAS AND THE 

two Lieutenant-Colonels, two Second Lieutenant-Colonels, 
seven Captains, one Cadet. Prisoners, seven hundred 
and thirty. President General Santa Anna, General Cos, 
four Colonels, Aids de Camp to General Santa Anna, and 
the Colonel of the Guerrero Battalion are included in the 
number. General Santa Anna was not taken until the 
22d, and General Cos yesterday, very few having- escaped. 
About six hundred muskets, three hundred sabres, and 
two hundred pistols, have been collected since the action ; 
several hundred mules and horses were taken, and nearly 
twelve thousand dollars in specie. For several days pre- 
vious to the action our troops were engaged in forced 
marches, exposed to excessive rains, and the additional in- 
convenience of extremely bad roads, badly supplied with 
rations and clothing, yet amid every difficulty they bore 
up with cheerfulness and fortitude, and performed their 
marches with spirit and alacrity — there was no murmur, 
ing." 

An important blow was now given to the Mexican 
power in Texas ; and be it remembered this decisive 
victory over the chosen troops of Mexico, was gained by 
a mere handful of raw undisciplined volunteers, armed 
with rifles alone, and suddenly drawn together from their 
agricultural pursuits to defend their liberty and indepen. 
dence. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 117 



CHAPTER X. 

Santa Anna brought prisoner to General Houston — Termina- 
tion of the struggle, and recognition of the republic — Con- 
stitution of Texas. 

Thou in a moment canst defeate 
The mighty conquests of the proude. 
And blast the laurels of the greate, 
Thou canst make brightest gloria set 
O' th' sudden in a cloud. 

Habingtox. 

As has been already mentioned, the prisoners of im- 
portance taken on this occasion were Santa Anna the 
President, and General Cos ; the former was captured on 
the day following that on which the engagement was 
fought; he was discovered disguised, and without any 
vestige of soldierly uniform, wandering alone, on the 
banks of Buffalo Bayou. This was indeed a sudden and 
most overwhelming change ; a terrible turn in the wheel 
of fortune. He was secured without difficulty, as he had 
retained no arms in his sudden flight. It was perhaps for- 
tunate for him that the party by whom he was taken were 
ignorant of his name and rank, as the people were beyond 
measure exasperated against him. Santa Anna was con- 
veyed without delay to the presence of General Houston, 
who, having been wounded in the ankle during the en- 
gagement, was lying underneath a tree. The head of the 
Texan General rested upon a rough pillow, his war-sad- 
dle being laid under his head ; a blanket was spread be- 
neath him, and this was his only couch. Santa Anna 
was led up to him, and boldly announced himself thus, — 
" Soy Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Presidente de la 



118 TEXAS AND THE 

Republica Mexicana, y General en Gefe del ejercito de 
operaciones."* — Upon this introduction General Houston 
politely requested his prisoner to take a scat on a medi- 
cine-chest : to this he consented, but appearing- rather 
faint, and not a little agitated, the chest was opened for 
some remedy for these complaints. Having swallowed a 
considerable quantity of opium, the patient declared him- 
self better, and found words to say to his captor, " you 
were born to no ordinary destiny ; you have conquered 
the Napoleon of the West !" What vanity in this free- 
booting leader of a degraded and miserable people ! 

The President's own account of this interview with the 
Mexican General, when the latter was a prisoner, and en- 
tirely in his power, is very characteristic of his own bold 
and decided nature ; his deadly foe was in his hands, he 
had proved himself merciless, and unworthy of faith, and 
had, by his own conduct, forfeited all claim to the consi- 
deration and forbearance due towards a prisoner of war. 
The place of meeting was not one calculated to impress 
the Mexican with awe, or to give him an exalted idea 
either of the riches or power of his conqueror. But the 
dignity of the latter did not depend upon outward show, 
and he received his prisoner, as a great man should, — 
without parade or any outward demonstration of triumph. 
In the course of the conversation which followed, Santa 
Anna, whether by design or otherwise, addressed his cap- 
tor by the title of General, omitting the word President, 
&c. and thus, according to Houston's view of the matter, 
tacitly denying his right to independence and authority, 
" I only looked at him, gentlemen," said the Texan Pre- 
sident in his account of the audience, — " I looked at him 
once, and he corrected the mistake ; if he hadn't, you 
know, gentlemen, I should have closed the scene ;" mean- 

* I am Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President of the 
Mexican Republic, and General in Chief of the Army of 
Operations. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 119 

ing, he should have at once signed his death-warrant. 
The look must have been an expressive one indeed, and 
yet it may be doubted whether the Mexican was aware by 
how slender a hair the sword that hung over his head was 
suspended. Better, far better would it have been for his 
country had the President not allowed his kindness of 
heart to overcome his sense of justice : had he ordered the 
execution of Santa Anna, much bloodshed would have 
been spared, and many evils prevented. 

The political motives which influenced General Houston 
on this occasion are not known ; but the liberation of 
Santa Anna was not effected without great difficulty, and 
much opposition. The majority of the people demanded 
his execution, as a just atonement for the blood of their 
fellow-citizens, who, by his merciless and treacherous 
mode of warfare, had been so inhumanly sacrificed. 

After a time, however, a convention was agreed upon, 
and the Mexican general was set at liberty. His inten- 
tion was to embark without loss of time for Vera Cruz ; 
this, however, he soon found was not an easy matter to 
effect. The rage and animosity of the Texans against 
him had not, in any degree, subsided ; and the excitement 
was so great and universal, that it was found necessary 
for his own safety, again to place his person in security. 
The Texan President, however, contrived with some diffi- 
culty to liberate him, and he then embarked in safety for 
the United States. He arrived at Washington on the 18th 
of December, and from thence was sent in a ship of war, 
by the American government, to Vera Cruz. No sooner 
had this unprincipled man again obtained power in his 
own country, than, forgetful of the noble sentiments and 
generosity which had guided the conduct of the Texan 
President, he again commenced his system of annoyance 
and petty warfare ; thus proving that however much we 
may admire the magnanimity of Houston's behaviour, the 
policy which guided him was mistaken. His treacherous 



120 TEXAS AND THE 

and vindictive enemy was left free to annoy and liarass 
the man who so generously overlooked his cruelty and 
his crimes. The frontiers of the republic have been con- 
stantly disturbed by this implacable foe, and its progress 
towards settlement, population, and prosperity, materially 
retarded. 

The victory of San Jacinto terminated the struggle for 
independence in Texas. Since that event tlie Mexicans 
have resorted to every sort of intrigue, and pursued a 
course of policy, which has certainly answered the object 
for which it was adopted. 

The Mexican policy evidently has been, — by keeping 
the country in a constant state of agitation from "threat- 
ened invasion," to check the tide of emigration, which 
otherwise could have flowed into Texas. Since their 
defeat at Jacinto, however, the Mexicans have never 
undertaken another organized campaign against, or inva- 
sion of, Texas. It is true that marauding bands have 
attacked the frontier towns, and that constant apprehen- 
sions are entertained of their making still bolder inroads ; 
yet notwithstanding these evident hindrances to emigra- 
tion, the country is rapidly increasing in population, and 
there is little doubt that the Anglo-Saxon race, by whom 
this is chiefly effected, will ere long overrun the rich pro- 
vinces of Northern Mexico. Texas has now been recog- 
nised as an independent republic by most of the European 
powers, as well as by the United States of America. An 
industrious, agricultural population is rapidly pouring in 
from Kentucky and the Northern States of the Union, 
while England, France, and Germany, are contributing 
their share of emigrants to swell the increasing tide. The 
present population of this rising country may be estimated 
at eighty thousand freemen, and to these may be added 
twenty-two thousand slaves. In the province of Bexar 
there are a considerable number of Mexicans. The re- 
public is divided into thirty-six counties. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 



121 



Red River. 

Shelb3^ 

Sabine. 

San Augustine. 

Jasper. 

Jefferson. 

Liberty. 

Houston. 

Bowie. 

Burnet. 

Fort Bend. 

Austin. 

Washington. 

Milam. 

Bastrop. 

Fayette. 

Colorado. 

Matagorda. 



Nacogdoches. 

Harrison. 

Robertson. 

Montgomery. 

Harris. 

Galveston. 

Brazoria. 

Fannin. 

Jackson. 

Victoria. 

Gonzales. 

Bexar. 

Goliad. 

Refiigio. 

San Patricio. 

Travis. 

Lamar. 

Panola. 



The constitution of Texas is modelled, with some little 
difference, after that of the United States ; Texas being 
an integral, whilst the United States form a federal, re 
public. The legislative power is exercised by a Presi 
dent and Vice-President, elected for three years, and a 
Senate, and House of Representatives. The members of 
the former at present consist of fifteen, and the latter of 
thirty-two members. 

The common law of England, so far as it is not incon- 
sistent with the constitution, and the acts of Congress, 
has been adopted as the general law of the land. It 
must not, however, be supposed, that the colonists of 
Texas are at all behindhand in the art of making laws 
for themselves. On the contrary, they enact them with 
surprising facility. Austin, a town of inconsiderable 
size, on the Colorado river, is the nominal seat of govern- 
ment. It is, however, situated too near the Camanche 
Indians, to be considered a safe place for the meeting of 
Congress ; the Camanches being a hostile tribe, and very 

11 



122 TEXAS AND THE 

inveterate in their hatred of the whites, Washington, a 
town on the Brazos, is the actual seat of government. A 
meeting of the Indian tribes is to take place in a few 
months at the Waccoo village, some hundreds of miles 
from Washington, ap the country. This meeting may 
be productive of peaceful and conciliatory measm'es. 



CHAPTER XI. 

The island of Galveston — Curious mode of building houses — 
Six-rooraed house built in a week — Go-ahead career of the 
Texans. 

An isle I fain would sing, an island fair, 

A place too seldom viewed, yet still in view : 
******** 

Most obvious to all, yet most unknown to most.^ 

Phineas Fletcher. 

I HAVE already remarked, that at a distance, the city 
of Galveston — in America every village is called a city — 
gives one, on a first view, no very high idea of its im- 
portance. The houses in general are small, though here 
and there, an overgrown ricketty -looking building speaks 
of the larger means and higher pretensions of its occu- 
pant. The streets are disposed with not much regard to 
regularity ; and the houses are built of wood, most fre- 
quently of planks nailed together, clinker-fashion. The 
whole affair has, I must say, at present rather a fragile ap- 
pearance, and it will readily be conjectured, that when 
viewed from the water, any grandeur of effect must be 
quite out of the question. 

The island of Galveston is about fifteen miles in length, 
and seldom exceeds two in breadth. I have before re- 
marked, that on its surface it boasts but three trees, and 
those are not remarkable for size or beauty. The soil is 



GULF OF MEXICO. 123 

rich, and is covered witli the long, thick, and rather rank 
grass of the prairie. The island is intersected with se- 
veral inlets of the sea, or bayous, as they are called. At 
present, Galveston is the only town in existence on the 
island, but it is fast rising into size and importance. It 
is strange, that here, where bricks could so easily be 
made, the inhabitants should still continue satisfied with 
their wooden tenements. The 02ily bricks I saw in Gal- 
veston were those forming one solitary chimney. It is 
calculated that, on an average, these wooden houses last 
ten years ; and in the mean time they are very liable to 
be blown down. It must not be supposed, however, that 
such an occurrence, — which, by the way, is by no means 
a rare one — materially injures the building capsized. 
The houses, in fact, and religious edifices at Galveston, 
are formed to endure shocks of this description. They 
are all raised a foot or two from the ground, by means of 
small, but solid blocks of wood, one of which is placed at 
either of the four corners. This is ingenious ; it raises 
the house out of the road, and in the summer keeps out 
the snakes, &c., to say nothing of the pigs. Were brick 
edifices to be recommended to the Galveston citizens, I 
have no doubt that their reply would be, that, in the first 
place, the wooden houses occupy infinitely less time in 
their erection. To this I agree, but would it not eventu- 
ally answer, in the necessity of rebuilding being less fre- 
quently required ? Another excuse would be, that the 
foundation of the soil being light, the brick buildings 
would be more likely to weigh it down than the wooden 
ones. This may be the case ; but cannot good founda- 
tions be made, and wet and light soil improved, and ren- 
dered capable of supporting the weight of an ordinary 
house ? Another advantage of a wooden tenement, — 
which, however, I am inclined to think is a questionable 
one — consists in its faculty of locomotion. It is no un- 
common thing, to see a house of considerable size drawn 
by means of a movable windlass to a considerable dis- 
tance. 



124 TEXAS AND THE 

The English church is at present in rather a dilapi- 
dated condition. During a recent hurricane, it was, in 
common with half the town, and the Roman Catholic 
Chapel among the rest, thrown on its beam-ends, wliere 
it remained till it was raised up. The city of Galveston 
fell, as might a pack of cards built into temporary houses 
by a child at play ! The Catholic priest, poor man, whose 
abode was in the vestry of his little chapel, took refuge, 
during the hurricane, in the Protestant church, which 
was the last to fall. He was afterwards gravely and se- 
verely rebuked by the righteous among his congregation, 
for his want of faith, and his taking refuge among the 
lieretics. It might naturally be supposed, that Galveston 
would remain, after this visitation, a heap of ruins ; but 
no — in an incredibly short period of time, both houses 
and churches were raised from their recumbent position ; 
no one was hurt, either in their persons or their pockets, 
and business went on the same as before. It is true, 
that the church windows were all broken, and are not 
yet repaired ; but we were told that the clergyman had 
gone to Halifax, to obtain funds from the Bishop for that 
purpose. 

I was quite surprised at the celerity with which houses 
are erected here. A very good six-roomed house is raised, 
from floor to ceiling, and rendered fit for habitation in a 
week. I do not mean to say that they are remarkably 
air-tight, or particularly well-arranged ; but to build any 
house in so short a time is worthy of remark. I have 
heard, to pursue the subject of houses, of a description of 
building, which I am sure would tell well here, where 
mud is at a discount. It is, as nearly as I can recollect, 
to make a double wall of planks, each wall being at a 
distance of some eight or ten inches from the other. The 
space between the two should be filled up with mud, well 
pressed down. After a short time, this becomes as solid 
as brick ; and houses built in this way, would, I am sure, 
be much more comfortable. The external air would be 



GULF OF MEXICO. 125 

much more eifectually excluded ; the inmates would have 
less to suffer, both from cold and heat ; and there is no 
doubt, that the houses themselves would last for a consi- 
derable longer period than they do at present. I cannot 
assert that the process of building would be effected as 
^ipeedjly as it now is : much more time would doubtless 
be expended ; and time to these people is money. Per- 
haps, however, when the population is greater, and labour 
consequently cheaper, some improvements in these re- 
spects may be effected. The Texans are an impatient 
people ; they drive to, and at their end, with greater velo- 
city than any individuals I ever saw or heard of Nothing 
stops them in their go-ahead career. The present, and 
how to make the most of it, is their idee fixe, and they 
are too much occupied by their daily business, to have 
leisure to think calmly of results. 

To " go-ahead," is essentially the motto of the Texan 
people ; and let them once get well on their legs, and no 
people are better calculated to do it faster. I am not 
going to enter into their politics ; but I thought from the 
first, and I have heard sensible Texans say the same 
thing, that they ought to lean upon some established 
power — say the United States, — at least for the present. 

But to return to Galveston. The city contains about 
three hundred covered buildings, which a bold person 
would, or might call houses. There are also four churches ; 
rather a considerable proportion, I should say to the num- 
ber of inhabitants, which amount only to about two thou- 
sand. Then, there are temples, squares, theatres, botanical 
and zoological gardens ; but they are only at present on 
the ground-plan. 

Altogether, Galveston is a rising city ; and no doubt 
will rise in time to be of considerable importance. 



11* 



126 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER XII. 

The public press — Courtesy of the Texans — Dry stores — Im- 
portant position in society of the pig — The turn-out house — 
Chewing and spitting — Climate — Comic scene in crossing 
a Bayou — French emigrants — Idiot girl. 

It is the mynd that maketh good or ill, 

That maketh wretch or happie, rich or poore ; 

For some that hath abundance at his will, 

Hath not enough, but wants in greatest store ; 

And other that hath little, asks no more, 

And in that little is most rich and wise; 

For wisdom is most riches. Spexcer. 

There are many large and valuable stores in Gal- 
veston. Under this denomination come all sorts of 
warehouses and magazines, and what in England we 
should call shops. There are three newspapers printed 
and circulated at Galveston. These have a considerable 
sale, and as entire liberty of the press is, of course, al- 
lowed, their contents arc often amusing enough. 

The advertisements, likewise, are by no means deficient 
in entertainment. The most numerous are, I think, those 
of medical men, of whom Galveston boasts a large supply. 
It is quite a treat to a stranger, at least it was so to me, 
to drive through this very original city, and remark the 
different amusements, callings, and trades. There are 
plenty of attorneys' offices. Law is decidedly popular, 
even in this new country ; and I noticed no small sprink- 
ling of grog-shops. Some of the most frequented stores 
are those containing drugs and chemicals ; and every 
ship that comes in is announced as containing leeches by 
thousands, quinine by hogsheads, and calomel by lots ; to 



GULP OP MEXICO. 127 

say nothing of demi Johns of castor-oil. Doctoring must 
answer here, if any thing does. 

In this colony there exists a spirit of good-will, and 
mutual helpfulness, very pleasant to see. I believe this 
to be the case in most new settlements, before refinement 
begets selfishness, and the indulgence of luxuries hardens 
the heart. If a settler happens to require the aid of his 
neighbour's hands, or working tools, in the performance 
of any manual labour, the assistance is rendered as readily 
as it is asked. This is saying a great deal, for no one 
seems to hesitate a moment about considering his neigh- 
hour's property as his own ; and should the latter not 
happen to be in the way, his goods are removed, pro 
tempore, without scruple. 

I have reason to speak gratefully of the courtesy and 
civility of the Texans. During our stay among them, I 
experienced repeated instances of good-wdll ; one in par- 
ticular, which prepared me for the rest, I will mention 
here. The pier near which the yacht was anchored, ex- 
tended a considerable distance into the sea. The landing 
was at all times diflicult, more especially so at low water. 
To a lady, the clambering ascent, for there were no steps 
previous to my arrival, was almost impracticable. The 
morning after our arrival I prepared to go on shore in 
the gig, really dreading the difficulties which, I was told, 
I had to encounter. What was my surprise and satis- 
faction, to find, when the boat touched the piles of the 
wharf, that a most convenient flight of steps, and a balus- 
trade had been erected during the night. This had been 
done without any regard to expense, and solely for my 
accommodation. The person to whom I was indebted 
for this really usefiil service, neither expected, nor would 
receive any remuneration. He was an ale-house keeper 
on the wharf, and a very well educated man, for any 
station of life. 

Such occurrences as these may be called trifling, but 
they at least serve, in some measure, to illustrate the 



128 TEXAS AND THE 

character of the people, and to justify my remarks on 
tlicir willingness to befriend, and render assistance to one 
anotlier. 

The designation of " dry store," is that which is 
appended to by far the largest number of the houses of 
Galveston. Till I made inquiries, I could not imagine 
what these stores contained. The very name, too, was 
an anomaly ; for the said dry store stands most frequently 
in water, or at least in mud and mire, which to English 
feet would be scarcely fordable. Trifles such as these are 
totally disregarded by these hardy settlers, and their 
wives and families seem equally disposed with themselves 
to make light of difficulties. There is something very 
praiseworthy in this undaunted spirit of enterprise, and 
one feels that it both deserves, and will be rewarded by 
eventual success. 

Now I am on the subject of mud and mire, I may as 
well suggest, that a very little trouble and expense would 
raise both houses and causeways above the inconvenience 
of w^et ; but, as I before remarked, these people prefer 
enduring evils to losing time in remedying them. At 
present, the numerous pigs are the only living creatures 
who benefit by the oozy prairie, which surrounds nearly 
every house in Galveston. The pigs here are as much 
considered, and I believe occupy as important a position 
in society, as those of Ireland. They are not, however, 
clean feeders, — those Galveston swine ; nothing seemed 
to come amiss to them, and they disputed the carrion food 
with the disgusting turkey-buzzards. Having observed 
this, I carefully eschewed pork during my stay. The 
pigs themselves are frightful ; their long tails are desti- 
tute of curl, even when suffered to retain their original 
number of joints. This, however, is seldom the case. 
The dogs, both wild and tame, are inveterate pig-hunters ; 
being oflen hungry withal, the latter frequently suffer, 
and it was a rare sight to meet one of these unclean 
beasts with either ears or tail. 



GULP OF MEXICO. 129 

Thus, all creatures here make up their minds to bear 
the ills which flesh is heir to. It is a truth, which every 
moment is forced upon one, that those difficulties and dis- 
comforts, which would appear most formidable to us, are 
unfelt and unnoticed by them ; and that, where an 
Englishman would sink, past redemption, in the mire of 
despondency, they, to their praise and credit be it spoken, 
contrive to struggle through. 

There is one large and flourishing hotel at Galveston, 
besides several smaller ones. In the former, the Tre- 
mont House, as it is called, assemble the fashionable por- 
tions of the society. The table d^hote dinner-hour is two ; 
and, after the quarter of an hour, which is the time an 
American generally allows himself to devote to this meal, 
has elapsed, they are to be seen reading the newspaper 
imder the wide verandah of the hotel, in every variety of 
bodily contortion. I believe it is not in the nature of an 
American to sit still, or to sit straight. They are per- 
petually either rocking or balancing themselves in their 
chairs, or, with legs hanging over the railing of the 
verandah, performing that frightful act of uncleanliness, 
on which Mr. Dickens has heaped such deserved repro- 
bation. I wonder what the American ladies are about, 
that they do not put a stop to this latter proceeding, 
which, and I do not exaggerate, is mentioned with dis- 
gust in all civilized societies, whenever the manners and 
habits of our transatlantic brethren chance to come mider 
discussion. I have reason to believe that the fair " ladies 
of the land" are as delicate and refined in their habits, 
as they are well educated and beautiful ; that they have 
unbounded influence over, and are treated with marked 
respect and consideration by the hardy "sons of the soil," 
admits not of a doubt ; — then why do they not, one and 
all, rise up and say to their husbands, their brothers, and 
their lovers, "Cast away that lump of tobacco, which dis- 
figures your appearance, and renders your voice and 
manner of speakiifg ridiculous ; I will have no chewing. 



130 TEXAS AND THE 

I will have no spitting. If you must smoke, do it in 
moderation, and with propriety, but let our floors, our 
hearths, be secure from pollution." American ladies ! do 
this, and you may not only as now be proud of your 
countrymen as men, but vain of them as gentlemen. 

But to give- up being personal, and return to more 
general subjects. From all I could learn, and judging 
from the opinion of a skilful medical man, who had been 
a long time in the country, I should say, that the climate 
of Galveston Island is by no means unhealthy. Of course, 
in these latitudes, the heat, during two or three months in 
the year, must be very great. July, August, and Septem- 
ber, are the most trying months ; then the musquito 
rages ; and men doubtless long for trees, and cooling 
streams, and shelter from the sun. Of the climate, during 
the remaining nine months of the year, I heard no com. 
plaint, even among our dissatisfied countrymen. The 
scenery, if such it can be called, is totally without variety : 
a long monotonous prairie, with occasional tussocks of 
high grass, little plots of reeds, and frequent bogs, cover 
the whole extent of the island. The soil is rich, and well 
adapted to grazing purposes. There are a good many 
deer, wliich are sold in tiie market at about two dollars 
each. Fowls and turkeys, alias gobblers, are brought 
from the main-land, distant about four miles ; the usual 
price of the former is teupence ; and of the latter, one 
dollar each. 

The only " drive" is on the sea-beach, and a most 
beautiful beach it is — so hard and smooth, with its fine 
sand, that you scarcely hear your horse's foot fall, as he 
trots, or rather runs along — a light carriage behind him, 
and the broad prairie spreading far before. Occasionally 
you are — I was going to say — stopped, but I should have 
been wrong : no one is stopped in this country by any 
thing short of a bowie-knife, or a rifle-ball ; but your pro- 
gress is delayed by an interesting bayou, through which 
you have to wade, or swim, as the cast may be. There 



GULF OF MEXICO. 131 

is neither time nor spare cash to erect bridges ; and, in- 
deed, were the expense to be incurred, the probability is 
they would be washed away by the first rain, or by a more 
than usually high tide. Bridges then being out of the 
question, nothing is left you but to make the best of such 
means of transport as are within your reach. If you 
fortunately chance to meet with any person who has lately 
crossed, you ask, "Well, Sir, is it swimming?" Should 
the answer be in the affirmative, and you happen to be on 
horseback, equipped for a journey, with your plunder 
(luggage) about you, you "up saddle-bags," and boldly 
plunge into the stream. Should your route lie along the 
shore, the safest way is to go a good way out to sea — on 
— on — till you find yourself well out among the breakers. 
I confess, that at first this struck me as rather an alarm- 
ing proceeding ; but, in fact, it is much the safest plan ; 
there being always a bar of sand formed across the mouth 
of these bayous, and if you can hit that, the depth of 
water is much lessened. 

At the crossing of one of these bayous, we once wit- 
nessed a most comical scene. We were returning from 
a shooting excursion in a light carriage, and were accom- 
panied by an English gentleman on horseback. We had 
crossed our last bayou in safety, when we found a traveller 
going in the contrary direction on foot, waiting patiently 
for a lift over the water. He was a Frenchman, and his 
figure was rather an anomaly in these wild regions ; he 
was accoutred in the full costume of la jeune France ; 
long ckevelure, pantalons a sous pied ; coat, guiltless of 
collar, and painted boots : sure " such a man was never 
formed" to tread the pathless prairies, and how he got 
there, and who he was, I could not guess, and never have 
to this day. But there he stood, bowing and shrugging, 
with a most cat-like horror of wetting his feet. He was 
evidently most anxiously looking out for an opportunity 
of crossing the awful-looking breakers dry-shod. No 
sooner did our companion perceive his situation, than he 



132 TEXAS AND THE 

kindly offered to recross the water, provided the French- 
man would mount behind him. This, however, was 
sooner said than done ; it being no easy matter for a gen- 
tleman, evidently not too well skilled in equestrian ex- 
ercises, to effect a location on the back of a fiery steed, 
quite unused to carry any extra burden. The cavalier 
attempted to spring up, au pantalon etroit ; but it was all 
in vain ; for after each successive effort he found himself 
stretched on terra Jirma. Afler many fruitless attempts, 
he changed his ground, and eventually succeeded infixing 
himself in front, with his arms clinging closely around 
our friend's throat. In vain, however, the unfortunate 
rider, suffering for his philanthropy, implored to be re- 
leased. " Mais Monsieur," vociferated the Frenchman, 
in the true spirit of Sindbad's " Old Man of the Sea," 
" Je suis tres bien comme 5a." " If you are, I'm not," 
was the reply ; and in a moment, the arms were trans- 
ferred to the neck of the horse : and thus, with legs 
dangling, and himself hanging on as if for the bare life, 
the poor foreigner was safely conveyed across the breakers. 
We laughed heartily, and would, I fear, willingly have 
increased our merriment, by seeing the foreigner strug- 
gling in the shallow water. Poor man ! his troubles 
were not yet at an end, A small bundle which he had held 
in his hand had fallen from his grasp, and during his 
equestrian exploits had drifted well out to sea ! What 
this precious bundle contained we had yet to learn. No 
sooner was its owner in safety, than hat in hand, and 
hair streaming in the breeze, he made his compliments 
to his deliverer. " Mille remercimens." — " Ce n'est rien, 
une complaisance de prairie, dans ce pays sauvage il faut 
s'aider I'un et I'autre." " C'cst vrai, et voyez vous, Mon- 
sieur, j'etais fort embarrasse, c'estque je portals le bonnet 
de Madame ma femme." Here he discovered his loss, 
which in the agitation of the moment had passed unno- 
ticed. " Mais mon dieu ! oil est il done le bonnet de ma 
femme ?" The Englishman pointed silently to the sea, and 



GULF OF MEXICO. 133 

we left our friend on the beach, shrugging his shoulders 
in impotent despair. 

Now that I am on the subject of emigrant Frenchmen, 
I must say a word on the extreme fitness of these people 
to cope with the inconveniences of a new country, such 
as Texas. They are more light of heart, and less easily 
depressed than the English settler ; added to which, their 
wants are fewer, and more easily supplied. If a French- 
man, in the distant and scarcely inhabited prairie, finds 
himself in want of a dinner, he takes his rifle, cries, " d 
la chasse" and is as proud and happy if he returns with 
a small lark, to regale himself after his toil, as an English- 
man would be had he brought home a fat buck. 

One evening, as I stood on the wharf, waiting for the 
gig to come off from the Dolphin, I witnessed the dis- 
embarkation of one hundred and fifteen emigrants, shipped 
by the authorities from France. They were a motley 
group ; most of them well clothed, and one and all look- 
ing cheerful and happy. Among them, I remarked a 
poor old man, erect and strong. He was dressed like a 
farmer, but from his carriage, I thought must have been 
a soldier in his youth. He had on a blouse, with a fur 
casquette on his head ; his wife carried his gun, and he 
was surrounded by his children. He told me he had left 
his farm, near Verdun, to settle in Texas. In his own 
country he was a poor man : here, his children (he had 
eleven of them) at any rate would not starve. " Madame," 
he said, " nous ne sommes pas des paresseux, nous sommes 
ici pour travailler." There was a promise of success in 
the old man's energetic tone, as he uttered these words. 
It was, he said, very pleasant to be greeted by kindly words 
in a foreign land, on his first landing. He was one of 
Napoleon's old soldiers. "Je no suis pas aristocrate, 
moi." (What egotism there is in a Frenchman.) Moi ! 
The tears stood in the old man's eyes, as he offered me a 
pinch of snufl^. It was all he had to give ; and I received 
the oftering in the spirit in which it was made. His old 

12 



134 TEXAS AND THE 1 

tabatiere was modelled after the petit CaporaVs cocked 
hat ; it was of tin, polished and shining from long- use. 

Among the group stood an idiot girl. I was much 
struck by her appearance : though her deficiency in intel- 
lect was evident from a certain wandering gaze in her 
dark eyes, which it was impossible to mistake, yet her 
countenance betrayed but little of that vacuity which is 
so generally indicative of her class. Such pitiable objects 
as decided idiots have frequently something revolting in 
their manner and appearance ; with this poor emigrant, 
however, there was nothing of this, and I looked at her 
with imraixed feelings of interest and compassion. She 
was not exactly pretty ; but her features were small, and 
interesting, and of all the party her person appeared the 
cleanest, and her attire the least untidy and neglected. 
I was sufficiently interested to inquire her history, and 
learnt that she was the daughter of poor parents in the 
neighbourhood of Verdun. An object of compassion from 
her birth, she had nevertheless not been quite a useless 
burden upon her parents. Her docility was remarkable, 
and she learnt to be useful in various little matters. An- 
nette — for that was her name — was very deaf, and she 
had an impediment in her speech, which rendered her 
utterance extremely painful ; still " through the gloomy 
vaults of the dull idiot's brain" meandered ideas peculiar 
to herself, and when the difference between right and 
wrong was put before her, the natural goodness of her 
disposition led her to refuse the evil and choose the good. 

It happened that the child of a small farmer in An- 
nette's village — he was the very old Buonapartist with 
whom I found her on the wharf — strayed away one sum- 
mer's day, and was not missed for several hou^rs : he was 
a little boy of some three years old. Annette was present 
when the loss of the little plaything of the house was dis- 
covered : she witnessed the agony of the mother, and the 
manly grief of the old farmer. That night Annette's 
little bed was unoccupied. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 135 

One day, and another passed away. The country was 
scoured in all directions, in search of the missing ones, 
but without effect. On the third evening-, wlien the mo- 
ther had almost given up hope in the sickness of despair, 
Annette gently entered with the young boy in her arms ; 
noiselessly she stepped, and the mother saw and heard 
nothing till she felt her child's warm kisses on her cheek ! 
Inquiries were showered upon both, — where had they 
been ? In what situation had the idiot girl discovered the 
lost child ? They could not tell — the girl's poor head was 
weak and wandering, and her companion was but an 
infant. Something he told of a hollow tree, and of An- 
nette's cloak being wrapt about him ; she had fed him too 
with bread wliich she had brought — and this was all they 
knew. Soon after this poor Annette became an orphan, 
and the father, grateful to the feeble-minded girl who had 
saved the child of his old age, brought her with his family 
to this new country, and she was unto him as a daughter. 
When I saw Annette the hand of the rosy-faced boy was 
in hers ; she was evidently a favourite, and a playfellow. 
I have no fear, but that the poor girl will do well in the 
wilderness ; there is here such an universal feeling of 
kindness towards childhood and helplessness. She looked 
happy and careless like the rest ; and I am certain she 
will never want a friend, as long as Texan hearts remain, 
as they are now, in the right place. 

How little did any of these poor people conceive of the 
difficulties that awaited them ! " Is not this Bexar ?" 
they asked immediately on their landing ; and when they 
were told tliat they had some hundreds of miles of diffi- 
cult country to travel over before they could arrive at the 
promised land : though they looked disappointed for a 
moment, yet the spirit of hope was soon awake again, 
and like the pilgrims of old they went on their way re- 
joicing. 

Notwithstanding the hopeful, and even joyous expres- 
sion which I remembered on the countenances of these 



136 TEXAS AND THE 

emigrants, the sight altogether left a sad and painful im- 
pression on my mind. I can fancy I see them now, those 
pale cold faces, and shivering forms interspersed among 
bales of cotton on the unsheltered wharf: a bitterly cold 
and fierce norther is blowing upon them, and their scanty 
garments are but ill prepared to screen them from its vio- 
lence. Heaven only knows whether they will ever realize 
the fortunes they have come so far to seek, but as I bade 
them adieu, I wished them success from the bottom of my 
heart. 

After tlxis interesting sight, we went on board the Dol- 
phin, with two of our corps diplomatique. Captain Elliott, 
and Monsieur de Cramayel. As usual, the affairs of the 
republic, especially as regarded the important subject of 
emigrants, were discussed. We all agreed that it was 
incumbent on all governments sending out parties to this 
new, and little known country, to obtain every informa- 
tion which could be useful to the settlers, previous to their 
departure. In case of failure, also, or of sickness, there 
should be means of relief at band, and large families 
should not be permitted to leave their homes, with even 
the possibility of starvation before them. From Captain 
Elliott I always gained much valuable information in re- 
gard to this young and interesting country. 

Our acquaintances in this little settlement were neces- 
sarily few, and we were really obliged to those among 
them who were willing to share the monotony of our sea- 
life. I beg to offer many thanks to the corps diplomatique 
of Texas for the agreeable variety of their society. 

I regret extremely, that owing to our living on board 
the Dolphin, I did not extend my acquaintance among the 
pleasant society which I am aware the city of Galveston 
affords. I hope, at some future visit, to be able to make 
amends for the loss which was caused by those unavoid- 
able impediments to visiting — viz. stormy days, — and 
foaming seas. We were not in a situation to be hospitable 
at the time of our anchorage in Galveston Bay. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 137 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Sporting in Texas — Provisions — Bogs — Deer shooting — The 
mustang, or wild horse — Fish — Galveston fort — Improvi- 
dence and idleness of theTexans — Return to New Orleans. ^ 

To snare the fish we fix the luring bait ; 

To wound the fowl we load the gun with fate. 

Parnell. 

Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own. 

Wordsworth. 

There is not much variety of amusement at Gal- 
veston. Game, however, was plentiful in the neighbour- 
hood ; and of this we took advantage, and never missed 
a day without going out to try our skill. Horses were 
to be hired in plenty, and not very bad : there is a 
certain Captain Cary, in Galveston, who keeps, what is 
courteously termed, a livery stable. He is a free negro, 
who with great labour and perseverance saved up money 
to the amount of a thousand dollars, and purchased his 
freedom. Horses are to be had from him at half a 
dollar a day, with a sort of carriage included. In this 
vehicle our little party daily packed up their guns, and 
sometimes their fishing-tackle, and sallied forth in quest 
of adventures. Their sport was very varied. When 
the wind was northerly, there were flocks of sea-birds, in 
numbers almost incredible, ducks of every description, 
the delicious canvass-back, the mandarin, the pintail, and 
our common v/ild duck, all good ; but the most numerous 
kinds were scarcely eatable, being hard and fishy. The 
geese were the most difficult to shoot, being very shy ; 
and from the want of cover in the prairie, they generally 
saw us in sufficient time to get out of our way. Mr. 

12* 



138 TEXAS AND THE 

Houstoun, however, contrived sometimes to bring one 
down, and that at distances of one hundred and fifty 
yards ; but they are not worth eating, for no keeping 
makes them tender, and they taste much more of fish 
than fowl. No one must be surprised at our attempts to 
eat nearly every thing we shot. Our dinners, with the 
exception of game, consisted always of beef; mutton 
was not to be had — a sheep being quite a sight at Gal- 
veston. Pigs, to be sure, there were ; but they fed so 
uncleanly, upon snakes and dead dogs, that recourse to 
them was not to be thought of. Turkeys and fowls were 
scarce, and we had had enough of them on the voyage. 
The venison is good, but destitute of fat ; the price of a 
deer is about two dollars. Soon after our arrival, Mr. 
Houstoun went to the main-land, and came back with a 
magnificent deer, which he had brought down with 
small shot. It caused great jealousy among the Gal- 
vestonists. " I say, Captain, so you've been using up our 
deer, I see," said one of these gentlemen to him, when he 
returned triumphant with the spoil. I remember, on the 
same day, that I took a drive on the sea-beach ; the day 
was fine, and I saw many beautiful, and some curious 
birds. There was the pelican standing drowsily in the 
shallow water, and as we approached, wheeling away 
with his heavy lagging flight. There were beautiful 
herons of various kinds, and a flight of spoonbills, of a 
brilliant rose-colour, like the flamingo. More inland, the 
bright-plumaged cardinal darted past us, while the yel- 
low larks skimmed above us, in vast numbers. It was a 
pleasant day, and I well remember it. Mr. Houstoun was 
so pleased by his success with the deer, that the day 
following we tried our fortune again. We were not very 
systematic in our arrangements, and were easily beguiled 
out of our path by any game that chanced to come in 
our way. 

Bogs are frequent, and not a little dangerous, as there 
are scarcely any visible signs of them, and if you are 



GULF OP MEXICO. 139 

unlucky enough to get well into one, the chances are 
rather against your soon getting out again. In the neigh- 
bourhood of these bogs snipes are very plentiful, and 
Mr. Houstoun had left me in charge of the carriage, and 
was fast filling his pockets with those birds, when I 
espied a fine deer bound out of the rushes, not ten yards 
behind him. Unluckily, he neither saw nor heard him, 
and I had the mortification to see the animal get away 
without a shot being fired at him. Soon after, we saw 
by the help of our glass two deer feeding together at a 
distance. They were extremely shy, and our only plan 
was to surround them, making the circle smaller by 
degrees. I took up my position at one angle ; Captain 
E., who accompanied us, at another ; and Mr. Houstoun, 
with his rifle, at the third. The deer stood a moment 
at gaze, evidently doubting at which point to make his 
escape. Unluckily for himself, he chose the strongest 
position, and while in full career, he received his death 
wound from Mr. Houstoun's rifle. I must confess, that 
anxious as I always was that the shot should not miss, 
yet I always felt a reaction of regret, when I saw the 
prey stretched lifeless before me. On this occasion, 
though they assured me the deer was to all intents and 
purposes dead, yet I could not see his quivering limbs, 
and leathern coat, stretched almost to bursting by con. 
vulsive sighs, without reproaching myself for having been 
a party to his assassination. I felt still more remorse, 
when we discovered that his companion, the friend per- 
haps of years, would not leave the spot where he had 
fallen, but kept hovering about, just out of gun-shot, long 
after the remains of his companion had been removed. 

I must here tell an American anecdote of deer-shooting. 
One of our acquaintances, as a proof of the great tenacity 
of life in these animals, informed me, that he had once 
shot a deer, had cut its throat, and half skinned it, 
when, rather to his surprise, the animal suddenly rose, 
looked about him, and finally trotted off". " He required 



140 TEXAS AND THE 

another ball in his heart to finish him — and that's a fact, 
Madam." 

Wild swans are very numerous, but too shy for sport ; 
the price of a swan's skin is a dollar. The best bird I 
tasted in Texas was the prairie hen ; it is a delicious 
compound of pheasant, grouse, and partridge. People 
that have been in India say that it resembles the jungle 
fowl of that country. It is as large as a pheasant, with 
spurs or tufts of feathers on its heels. We killed quanti- 
ties of snipes, and plovers — sometimes twenty at a shot. 
The inhabitants do not waste their ammunition upon 
such small game, except the boys, who from the age of 
five years are intrusted with a rifle ; and dangerous enough 
are these inexperienced sportsmen to harmless passers by. 
The perseverance of these people when a deer is in 
question, is remarkable ; they will creep in a horizontal 
position, in the long grass, for hours together ; some- 
times, perhaps, not advancing more than a yard in a 
minute. Our livery-stable keeper. Captain Gary, earned 
a great portion of his freedom-money in this way. A 
drunken rascal he was, with a head covered with black 
wool and shaped like a sugar-loaf He let out a great 
many horses to our sailors at difterent times ; and when 
we first arrived, they seemed to prefer a ride to the grog- 
shop ; though there was every variety of apple-toddy, 
egg-nogg, gin-sling, hot tom-and-jerry, and juleps of 
every kind advertised at the numerous bar-rooms, in 
most tempting ai-ray. It was quite amusing to see them 
mounted on high-stepping horses, riding as only sailors 
do, as hard as they could go, witliout any definite object 
— their hats at the back of their heads, their loose trou- 
sers above their knees, and full three feet of daylight be- 
tween themselves and their saddles. At the risk of their 
own lives and the horses, they would come galloping 
down the slight wooden pier, shouting and liallooing, for 
the admiration of their comrades on board. This love of 
equestrian exercises, however, did not last long. The 



GULF OF MEXICO, 141 

charms of » Social Hall," " Ten Pin Alley," and the 
" Travellers' Friend," soon seduced them, and more than 
once their leave was broken, and they returned intoxicated 
to the vessel. 

The mustang, or wild horse, I was not fortunate enough 
to see in any numbers. They are small, strong, and 
wiry ; but, as I before remarked, difficult to tame, and 
apt to be vicious. I saw one just lassoed, with the Mexi- 
can, who had caught him, on his back ; he was using 
great, but I suppose necessary sev'erity. I do not know 
which looked the wildest, the horse or his rider. On the 
day that I saw this animal, we had rather a disagreeable 
adventure, namely, being nearly swamped in a bog in the 
prairie. Our horse floundered in, but luckily the hind 
wheels of the carriage were on terra Jirma. By this 
means we were able, after a good hour's labour, to rescue 
the poor animal from his disagreeable situation. 

It is really quite melancholy to see the innumerable 
bones of animals, which are scattered over the face of 
the country. During our drives and rides, we were con- 
stantly stumbling over these dismal-looking remains, 
bleaching in the sun. The bones are principally those of 
horned cattle, which have sunk too deeply in the bogs to 
be able to extricate themselves. No greater proof than 
this can be required to prove the immense quantity of 
cattle that exist in this country. Often I have perceived 
the head and shoulders of an unfortunate animal just 
appearing above the surface of the bog. Life being still 
in the creature, we have thought it advisable to send a 
merciful bullet through its devoted head. Mr. Houstoun, 
on one occasion, was on the point of putting a period to 
the sufferings of a poor beast, thus doomed to a living 
grave ; he was, however, deterred by the recollection of a 
pieceof advice he had previously received. The Texans 
are particularly sensitive about the interference of stran- 
gers in any of their affairs ; and it is more than probable, 
that the shooting of a cow, however well intentioned the 



142 TEXAS AND THE 

act, would give rise to disagreeable language, and possi- 
bly to measures of retaliation. 

There are many kinds of excellent fisli at Galveston. 
The best of these is decidedly the red fish. It very much 
resembles the cod in flavour, and grows to the length of 
fifteen feet. We found it excellent when salted. 

There are likewise immense quantities of gray mullet, 
which, though certainly an inferior fish, are nevertheless 
very welcome when no other, nor better sorts are to be 
procured. At low water, they were taken from the pier 
by means of a casting-net. Oysters are much in demand, 
oyster soup being a favourite delicacy among the Ame- 
ricans. They are large, and coarse, and by no means 
highly flavoured. We often took gray mullet ourselves 
with a casting net; and occasionally, in the bayous, Mr. 
H. hooked a red fish, which was a pleasant variety in 
our sports. The bait for them was a piece of crab, or 
oyster. I was disappointed at finding so small a variety 
of shells along the coast. For the first few days after my 
arrival, I wearied my eyes with looking for treasures of 
this description. I soon, however, discovered that I must 
give up the search in despair. I never found, notwith- 
standing this deficiency, that the drives along the sea- 
beach were either dull or monotonous. There were ' 
ahvays ducks to circumvent or surprise, and pelicans to 
watch, as they stood unconcernedly in the water ; and 
generally, travellers to enter into conversation with. I 
regretted that the time was drawing near when we were 
to leave the island. We are, however, looking forward to 
returning when the weather is finer, and the prairie not 
so wet. 

The sea-fogs were just now very disagreeable, and it 
must have been extremely unsafe for ships to venture near 
the land. On the 9th of January a large vessel was seen. 
This was an event of importance, and it was quite de- 
lightful to perceive the masts and sails of what we plainly 
perceived was an English man-of-war, breaking the line 



GULF OP MEXICO. 143 

of the horizon. By degrees, and as the vessel approached 
nearer the land, she was pronounced to be the Electra, 
an English corvette. Her arrival on the Texan coast had 
been expected, and the pilot went out to hf r immediately 
in his little schooner. The sea-mist, which had partially 
cleared away, came on again so thickly, shortly after his 
departure, that he found it impossible to find the ship. In 
consequence of this, the Electra stood off to sea again. 
This sort of weather continued for about a fortniglit ; it 
is true, we had occasional glimpses of sun, but they shone 
through such a curtain of misty haze, as to be as unlike 
the bright king of day as possible. 

It is very curious, the suddenness with which these 
mists roll away. During this time there was no rain, 
and our sporting amusements went on as usual. The day 
before that on which we intended bidding adieu, for the 
present, to the young Republic, we had some rifle prac- 
tice with the seven barrel. A deserted house was the 
object, and the o%vner's old boots the particular aim. Mr. 
Houstoun gained credit from the lookers-on for the cor- 
rectness of his aim at this singular and original target. 

Not far from the scene of this exploit is the fort of 
Galveston ! Not willingly would I speak in disparaging 
terms of any of the warlike defences of the city ; but I 
cannot really advise the good citizens to trust too much, 
or too implicitly to them. Their safety in case of an 
attack by sea, lies in the difficulty of access to their coast. 
The bar at the mouth of the harbour, and the shallow- 
ness of the water, form a natural barrier to invasion, by 
means of that element. For the same cause, a navy is 
almost a useless possession to themselves. I believe the 
President always strongly objected to having the Republic 
burdened by the purchasing, fitting up, and maintaining 
the expense of ships of war. In the present financial 
condition of the country, a navy is a worse than useless 
incumbrance. 

The extreme apathy and indolence of these people, 



144 TEXAS AND THE 

when there is no present and personal good to arise from 
their exerting themselves, is really wonderful ; love of - 
country, though I believe it to be strong within them, is i 
as nothing compared with self-interest and aggrandize. • 
ment. I believe the same observations would apply to > 
most individuals tliroughout the world, but I could not . 
help being struck witli its peculiar applicability to these 
Republicans. As a proof of this, I may mention that 
there were lying in the harbour of Galveston, a brig and a 
steamer, both vessels of war ; they were both aground, 
and were literally falling to pieces for want of repair, a 
prey to marine insects and vermin of all kinds. A little 
money, and a very slight degree of exertion, expended in 
time, would have saved two valuable vessels to the Repub- 
lic, and also their harbour from exhibiting a most un- 
sightly monument of their improvidence and idleness. 
The revenue of the country is not at present sufficient to 
play ducks and drakes with ; what it may be hereafter 
time will show, as well as the disposition of the people as 
to its expenditure. In the mean time, the money arising 
from the sale of these vessels would have been something. 
Not long ago a large steamer went on shore on the island 
about ten miles from Galveston city. She belonged to a 
Galveston merchant, and contained a large cargo of cotton. 
She very soon broke up, as a heavy norther was blowing 
at the time, and very little of her besides her engine was 
saved. A good many bales of cotton were floated on 
shore, and we used to meet portions of the iron-work 
being hauled (Anglice carted) along the beach to Gal- 
veston. Altogether the loss must have been a heavy one 
to the proprietor. Cotton, harmless as it looks, sometimes 
turns out a most dangerous cargo. If at the time it is 
packed, it happens to contain the least degree of moisture, 
it is apt to ignite, in the same manner as hay when 
pressed into a heap, in a similar state. 

Our kind friend, Monsieur de Cramayel, the Charge 
d' Affaires for France, had sent me a most beautiful little 



GULF OF MEXICO. 145 

live hawk, of a species quite new to me, which he 
had shot, but it was only " seriously" not " dangerously 
wounded." The sailors, — who certainly are the most 
tender-hearted people in the world, as far as dumb animals 
are concerned, — nursed it through its illness, and soon 
made it quite tame and sociable. We had by this time 
accumulated quite a menagerie on board. My favourite 
dog, I have related before, died of a coup de soleil at Ja- 
maica : long may the graceful boughs of the cocoa-nut tree 
wave over his tomb ! We had still, however, old Rake the 
setter, v/ho is I regret to say, far gone in decrepitude, and 
second childishness ; like many other better dogs than 
himself, he has had his day ; yet still " sans eyes — sans 
teeth — sans every thing" — the old dog always finds a 
warm berth, a kind word, and the best of dogs' food that 
can be had for asking. Besides this worthy animal we 
had two mocking-birds, an eagle and a goat. The latter 
we found a most useful animal, though not equal in beauty 
to her predecessor ; she was bought at New Orleans with 
her kid. The latter soon found its way into a pie ; those 
on board, with harder hearts than I could boast of, eating 
of it with great satisfaction. I heard the poor goat wan- 
dering about the decks over our heads, in search of her 
child, and uttering dismal bleatings, while her progeny 
was under discussion. Had I had the heart to partake of 
it, I am sure I never again could have looked poor Nan in 
the face with any degree of assm'ance. 

We had serious thoughts of continuing our course 
southward, to visit Vera Cruz, and thence to proceed to 
Mexico. Several circumstances however deterred us from 
following this plan. In the first place we were by no 
means sure that, coming from the port of a hostile 
country, we should be well received by the Mexicans. 
Another reason was, the want of a tolerable road between 
Vera Cruz and the capital. Three hundred miles over 
rocks and stones amongst brigands, and thieves, was 
enough to turn back the boldest of us. To New Orleans, 

13 



146 TEXAS AND THE 

therefore, it was decided that we should again betake our- 
selves. 

The Electra, after a fortnight's absence, or rather after 
standing on and oif the shore, had at length succeeded in 
coming to an anchor outside the bar. She has brought 
despatches for Captain Elliott, and we are to take him out 
to the corvette in the yacht. 

January 26th. — We took our pilot on board, he having 
assured us that there was sufficient depth of water on the 
bar for us to go out of the harbour. 

I was really quite sorry to say adieu to this island, 
where we had lingered so long. We had on board our 
friends of the corps diplomatique, who were bound, as the 
Yankees say, to pay a visit to Captain Darley, on board 
the Electra. We passed the formidable obstacle of the 
bar without any difficulty, and soon after, put both pilot 
and passengers into the boat of the former, with many 
farewells and good wishes. We passed close to the bows 
of the Electra, and remarkably well she looked to us, ac- 
customed to Yankee and Texan craft. The wind was 
favourable, and we steered a direct course to the south- 
west pass of the Mississippi. 

If we escape the dangers of plague, pestilence, famine, 
and shipwreck, and live to return to Texas, I shall, I have 
no doubt have something more to say about the young 
Republic. " It's a fine country and that's a fact." 



GULF OF MEXICO. 147 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Lighthouse at the entrance of the Mississippi — Winter scenery 
of its banks — Extreme cold — Visit to the shore — Venomous 

snake — Ran on board by a steamer — Arrival at New Orleans — 
— Amusement of the inhabitants. 

Old Ocean was, 
Infinity of ages ere we breathed 
Existence — and he will be beautiful 
When all the living world that sees him now 
Shall roll unconscious dust around the sun. 

Ca31PBELL. 

Unheeded fails along the flood 
Thy desolate and aged tree. 

Idem. 

January 29th. The land was sighted ahead, and in the 
afternoon we received the Pilot on board. The weather 
was fine and quiet, with occasional lig-ht airs. The pilot 
told us that the yacht would have to cut her way tlirough 
several feet of mud, and every stitch of canvass was 
crowded on the vessel to enable her to dash bravely 
through, when she should arrive at the shallow part of 
the water. We were not long kept in anxiety, for though 
we perceived no change in her usual smooth and even 
course through the water, the schooner was slipping 
gently and safely through the soft mud. At one moment, 
however, (and that at the shallowest spot) she scarcely 
seemed to move, and we began to fancy she was fixed, 
and might remain — as the Yankees say, " from January 
to eternity." A few seconds put us out of our suspense, 
for a puflTof wind suddenly arose, and carried us in safety 
into deep water. 

I have forgotten to mention a lighthouse, which we 
left behind us at the southwest pass ; and I must revert 
to it here, as there is rather a singular story attached to 



148 TEXAS AND THE 

it. The situation is I think a precarious one, at least it 
has the appearance of being so, the lighthouse having 
been erected on a sedgy bank formed by an accumula- 
tion of mud and snags. These insecure oozy-looking 
lands extend in all directions about the various entrances 
to the Mississippi, and give it the appearance — I liave 
before remarked upon — of unhealthy desolation. Tlie 
lighthouse in question was built by the government or 
the United States, at a considerable expense, as they 
were aware of the great necessity of such a beacon at 
the mouth of the river. Soon after the work was com- 
pleted, an unexpected claim was set up to the land, or 
rather mud on which the lighthouse had been built. The 
parties, who thus inopportunely appeared, founded their 
claim on a title, which was derived from some old 
Spanish grant. This title they produced, but at the same 
time they offered to forego their claim for the moderate 
sum of, I think, thirty thousand dollars. The cause v/as 
tried, and to tlie great annoyance of the government, it 
was decided in favour of the new claimants, and the 
former, rather than remove their lighthouse, consented to 
comply with this exorbitant demand. The whole affair 
is a fine specimen of Yankee cunning, and shrewd 
lying in wait for the unwary. 

Proudly by the woodland deeps 

Our little gallant schooner sweeps. 

The song of birds is heard above 

Tuning their swelling throats to love ; 

And, with a joyous welcome hailing 

The bark, with such a white wing sailing. 

On poising wings the sea-birds float 

And join them with their warning note. 

But heedless, on the vessel glides. 

Stemming the fury of the tides, 

And, like a spirit of the seas. 

Riding on the wintry breeze. 

Full many a tall ship, creeping on. 

She passes, 'ere her race is won. M. C. H. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 149 

The two months that had elapsed since we last visited 
the Mississippi, had worked a great change in the ap- 
pearance of the woods. The trees, which were before 
clad in all the beauty of their autumnal verdure, were 
now bleak, gray, and leafless. It is true that, here and 
there, an ilex, or some other evergreen, relieved with its 
rich hues this dismal appearance, but they were but rare, 
and I continually regretted the change that had taken 
place. The long hanging moss, that like the gray and 
venerable beards of some aged patriarch, was pendant 
from the trees, showed more conspicuously than ever, 
from the want of leaves, of which it now usurps the 
place. One could not, as before, be cheated by the 
beauty of the decaying vegetation, into a forgetfulness 
of the deadly insalubrity of the climate and country. 
The morasses were now displayed in all their horrors, 
and one almost shuddered to pass such cradles of pesti- 
lence and disease. 

The river was much higher than it was during our 
former visit ; the breaking up of the frost, and the conse- 
quent melting of the snow in the northern country, had 
caused it to rise many feet. 

The tide was running three or four knots an hour, 
and it would have required a very strong wind in our 
favour, to enable us to make head against it. Unluckily 
for us not a breath of air was blowing, and on this, our 
second day in the river, — after many attempts to pro- 
gress, which ended in oui" making stern-way only, we 
let go the anchor, and determined to go on shore. 

The weather was intensely cold, and the water used 
for washing the decks immediately froze after being 
dashed over them. A bright sun was shining all the 
morning, and yet the water remained unthawed through- 
out the day. 

We really could not keep ourselves warm in the yacht, 
as the state of the decks entirely prevented us from 
taking our usual exercise of pacing up and down the 

13* 



150 TEXAS AND THE 

vessel, and we did not at all relish being- confined in the 
cabin, while such a brilliant sun was shining' over head. 
An expedition on shore was, therefore, agreed upon, and 
the gig was manned. We landed with some little diffi- 
culty, as the banks are at that spot abrupt and rather 
steep, at least I thought them so, when I found myself 
obliged to attempt the ascent. 

I soon perceived that I had gained nothing in warmth 
by the change from the yacht. Walking I found impos- 
sible, the ground was so rough, and sitting still was 
freezing work. A happy idea at length struck us, viz. 
that of making a fire on the ground under the trees. 
We set to work to collect sticks and dried leaves, and 
soon made a satisfactory heap. This done, we endea- 
voured to produce a light, by rubbing together two pieces 
of dried wood — Indian fashion. Do what we would, and 
strive as we might, we could not succeed, and yet wc 
naturally felt, that half the romance of the situation 
would be destroyed, by obtaining a light in any more 
artificial manner. At length, however, we gave up the 
attempt in despair, and were thankful for a lucifer match 
which the doctor happily had in his pocket. The fire 
burnt bravely, rushing along the ground over the dead 
leaves, and warming the whole air to a distance of at 
least a hundred yards. I was constantly obliged to 
change my position, as the fierce flames approached, and 
seemed ready to lick my feet ; but the warmth was quite 
delightful, and I would at any time prefer such a wood- 
fire to Newcastle coal in the best and most polished of 
fire-places. Following my example, the crew of the gig, 
who had been wandering listlessly about the woods, 
made themselves a fire also, and sat round it to warm 
themselves. 

While I was thus employed, Mr. Houstoun amused 
himself with shooting. There was plenty of rabbits, and 
they were easily shot ; they were however not worth 
eating, when cooked. I do not know in what respect 



GULF OF MEXICO. 151 

they differed from English rabbits, but they neither 
looked nor tasted the same. Numbers of beautiful birds 
were flying-, and sporting about; their bright plumage 
being seen to great advantage on the leafless boughs. I 
thought it grievous to shoot them, and when they brought 
me cardinals, blue-birds, and bright-coloured woodpeckers, 
I felt how much rather I would have seen them glancing 
about in the bright ligbt, and sunning themselves in the 
warmth of heaven. They were now stretched lifeless 
and stiff upon the earth, these poor woodland forest min- 
strels ! never more to sing their joyous songs, or flit about 
the dancing leaves ! 

But how still and sombre that primeval forest seemed ! 
Not a sound broke upon the ear, except when the report 
of the gun reverberated through the woods, and startled 
the slumbering echoes from their long repose. 

" Yet wanted not the eye far scope to muse, 
Nor vistas opened by the wandering stream." 

Here and there were blackened stumps, showing that 
the devastating hand of man had been busy there, and 
had lain low the stately trees which had grown in that 
vast forest for centuries. Around the prostrate forms of 
the dead giants clung the sad passion-flower, and the 
twining creeper, as though loath to part with the faithful 
pillar that had been their support in life. The whole sur- 
face of the ground was so thickly covered with dried 
leaves, that it was difficult to make any discovery of the 
descriptions of plants or herbs, which vegetate under the 
trees. The monotonous brown of the earth's covering 
was, however, varied by frequent tufts of the fan-plant ; 
as it is here called. This graceful plant shoots up its 
broad fan-like leaves, of the most vivid green, and its 
peculiar shape and hue are calculated to give an appear- 
ance of tropical vegetation to the scenery. 

We had been informed that wild boar and deer, were 
to be found in the forests in considerable numbers ; how- 
ever we were not fortunate enough to see any thing of 



152 TEXAS AND THE 

them, and I confess myself rather incredulous as to tlu; 
fact of their existence in these woods. 

My fii-c had, after the lapse of a couple of hours, burnt 
low, and we made preparations for going' on board. On 
our return to the gig-, we perceived the men very busily 
engaged; so much so, that v/e came upon them unseen. 
They had fomid a small snake, wliich the warmth of 
their fire had probably aroused from its torpid state, and 
they were endeavouring to make sure of their prisoner. 
To effect this, they were trying to tie a piece of rope- 
yarn round the creature's body. The snake having, as 
one of the sailors expressed it, " hove off his tail," in the 
course of his capture, this circumstance considerably in- 
creased the difficulty of the attempt. Having with great 
care adjusted the yarn to his satisfaction, the man whose 
prize it was, deposited the reptile in the crown of his hat. 
Happily for the poor man, wc returned in time to prevent 
the consequences of his imprudence. The snake was 
one of a most venomous species, and we immediately 
turned the tide of his sufferings by ordering him to be 
destroyed. 

All night we lay at anchor, and the yacht ran no little 
risk of injury from the vast number of logs and trees, 
which were floating down the river. Owing to the unu- 
sually high floods and tides, the stream was at times al- 
most covered by these disagreeable hindrances to our 
progress. Trees of forest growth and stature, uprooted 
in their strength, came upon us with resistless force, and 
it required constant care to prevent collision, when we 
were under way. A look-out man was always stationed 
" forward," to watch their coming, and to direct the 
helmsman how to steer. These moving timbers were, 
however, not so dangerous as tlie snags, namely, trees, or 
parts of them, that have a strong' hold on the bottom. 

Thus sped our time, and a long and rather weary four 
days it was before we arrived at the city. The night be- 
fore we reached it the yacht underwent a signal misfor- 
tune, which certainly occasioned some variety, though of 



GULF OF MEXICO. 153 

not a particularly agreeable nature. It was the night of 
the 1st of February, dark, and still, and foggy. A small 
steamer Coming up to the city, hailed us several times, to 
know if we wanted steam, her commander no doubt con- 
jecturing that we were at anchor, in despair of making 
fm-ther way. The look-out man on deck answered "No," 
several times ; upon which the steamer, (as we suppose, 
out of envy, malice, and hatred) ran on board of us, and 
did us all the mischief in her power. Our fore-topmast 
was carried away, as well as the larboard whisker ; and 
part of the bulwarks on the larboard bow was stove in. 
The next morning all hands were employed in clearing 
away the wreck, which having been done, we made sail, 
somewhat shorn of our fair proportions. 

At one o'clock we arrived again at New Orleans, and 
lost no time in sending on shore for our much wished for 
letters. One of Mr. Houstoun's first occupations was to 
find out the name of the vessel, which had so signally 
insulted us, and to demand satisfaction. The steamer 
proved to be the " Swan," a tug, and her owners found 
themselves obliged to make good all the damage we had 
received. 

The appearance of the city was now much more gay 
and cheerful than it had been diu-ing our former visit. 
The carnival had begun, and masks were visible in the 
windows of the stores. The walls were covered with 
announcements of forthcoming balls, both in the French 
and English languages. Plays were in great vogue ; and 
the Parisian taste for horrors was also prevalent here, 
" La Mansarde de Crime,''^ and such like mysterious 
tragedies, I saw announced for constant repetition. The 
streets were much dryer, and the shops — I beg their 
pardoix, the stores, — were more conspicuously and taste- 
fully arranged than in the winter. The spring fashions 
had already made their appearance ; and ladies, gaily 
dressed in every colour of the rainbow, — beginning with 
the parasol, and ending with the shoes, — were prome- 
nading the streets in all directions. Indeed, it seemed 



154 TEXAS AND THE 

that in proportion as business, owing- to tiie season of the 
year, had declined, pleasure had risen fifty per cent. 
Tlicre are but two drives in the neighbourhood of New- 
Orleans — the old and new " Shell-Roads," These roads 
are raised by artificial means several feet above the 
morass, which almost surrounds the city. They are 
formed upon piles, and are thickly covered, as their name 
implies, with small sea-shells. From this road, you look 
down on a swamp on one side, and a canal on the other. 
Both roads, in the hot season, are described as literally 
swarming with alligators and musquitoes. Happily for 
us, the time of the year for these creatures had not yei 
arrived. During our stay, I saw but one young alligator, 
and the musquitoes were not yet brought into light and 
mischief. Though still, in what we in England call the 
depth of winter, the vegetation was as forward as it often 
is in an English May. The tender gi'een of the beech 
was every where visible, and the buds of the hawthorn 
were almost visibly bursting forth under the influence of 
the warm sunshine. Wild flowers, such as prefer moist 
and watery places, were beginning to show their blossoms ; 
and among them I noticed several descriptions of briar, 
which were very pretty. Birds were welcoming tlie 
spring with their small twittering notes, but cheerful as 
their voices sounded in the still air, we missed the full 
chorus of our English woodland vocalists. No night- 
ingale, 

" Winds up his long, long shakes of ecstacy," 

and no skylark 

" Pilgrim of the sky" 

carolled forth his welcome to the opening year. I 
missed almost all my old favourites ; and was only con- 
soled in their absence by the sound of the cuckoo's 

" Twin notes inseparably paired." ' 

His erratic voice was still faithful to the spring ! 

One of the shell-roads leads to the Lake of Pontchar- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 155 

train. This lake is of salt water, and its shores are low 
and flat. There is a sort of village on its banks, which 
is considered and used as a watering-place ; and though 
not more than six miles distant, may be called tJie 
Brighton of New Orleans. Many of the opulent mer- 
chants have built villas at Pontchartrain, and during the 
summer months, when business is at a stand-still, thev 
migrate to the shores of the lake, and refresh themselves 
by bathing in its salt waters. New Orleans is thus 
almost deserted by the rich inhabitants during the hot 
and unJiealthy season. It is on Sundays that the Shell- 
Road ought to be visited ; it is then crowded with plea- 
sure-taking citizens ; not a carriage is left in the streets 
unhired ; and by far the greatest number are filled with 
negroes. It is quite delightful to see how thoroughly 
they enjoy themselves. Their happy laughing faces are 
shining out at the open windows, and each carriage is 
packed as full as it can hold. The slaves are seen grin- 
ning, and chattering incessantly, and with a vivacity and 
excitement unknown to those, of whom Sundays brings 
not the happy variety of freedom. Another employment 
of the slaves, on a Sunday, is the bringing in, on their 
own account, large supplies of the Spanish moss from 
the country. They collect it from the tall trees in the 
neighbourhood, and it well repays them for the trouble. 
It is principally used in making beds, and enough for 
such a purpose may be collected in a few minutes ; it re- 
quires but little preparation, and the beds thus made are 
remarkably comfortable. I have so often described this 
moss ( Tillandsia Usneodes), that I need not say much 
more about it. In the neighbourhood of New Orleans it 
appeared to me particularly thick and long, growing fre- 
quently to the length of three or four feet, and almost, 
hiding its parent tree. The effect of setting a dead tree 
on fire, with its clothing of dried moss, is very curious. 
We tried the experiment once, and the appearance of the 
flames on the rapidly ignited moss, was beautifiil. During 
one of these Sunday drives, I first saw and admired the 



156 TEXAS AND THE 

astonishing pace of the trotting- horses in America, The 
Shell-Road is remarkably well adapted for showing off 
their powers, being perfectly flat, and smooth. The car- 
riage used is as light as possible, and looks as if a much 
less weight than that of a man would break it down. 
The horse I saw was said to be " a considerable fair tra- 
veller, with most particular good bottom." I should, I 
am afraid, be suspected of an Americanism, did I venture 
to assert how fast he went ; but the pace struck me with 
wonder. He passed at a trot, like a flash of lightning ; 
and it was a fair trot, not a run, or any thing like it. 
The best and fastest trotter was a Canadian horse. These 
are generally of a small size, and I fear much cruelty is 
used to break them into trotting in this astonishing 
manner. 



CHAPTER XV, 

Florida Indians — Their habits — Party of prisoners — The chief, 
" Tiger-Tail." 

I travelled among unknown men, 
In lands beyond the sea. 

Wordsworth. 

And by my side, in battle true, 

A thousand warriors drew the shaft. 

***** 

I may not stain with grief, 
The death-song of an Indian chief! 

Campbell. 

3 had expected to find every sort of Indian fancy-work 
in plenty at New Orleans, but I was disappointed. There 
was but little in the stores, and the prices asked were 
quite unconscionable. For a small hunting-pouch, worked 
with beads, and that not very curiously, the demand was 
fifty-two dollars ; nearly fourteen pounds ! We oft,en met 
Indians, both men and women, wandering about the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 157 

streets : they were scantily clothed, with an old blanket 
wrapped about them for their only covering. They were 
often in a state of intoxication (with their long shining 
black hair falling over their faces), and shivering with 
cold. The time at which they were most frequently to 
be seen, was early in the morning, and they generally 
attended the markets. 

During our stay at New Orleans a party of Florida 
Indians were brought in as prisoners, with their squaws 
and children. These Indians have for a long time occa- 
sioned great annoyance, and trouble to the government 
of the United States. They are naturally fond of war, 
and, although greatly reduced in numbers, are constantly 
engaged in hostile insurrections. Who can wonder at 
the efforts made by these poor and suffering people to re- 
gain possession of their country. Swampy and unwhole- 
some as that country is, still it was their own, and the 
Indian tribes are never the first to forget their fatherland. 

Some parts of Florida are productive and healthy, but 
by far the larger portion is wet and marshy, well calcu- 
lated certainly for the produce and increase of snakes, 
frogs, alligators, gnats, and musquitoes, but not an en- 
viable residence for human beings. In common with the 
swamps in the neighbourhood of New Orleans, cedar and 
cypress grow in the Florida marshes to a prodigious size, 
as also the live-oak ; and it is in these swampy forests 
that the slender remains of the once powerful tribes re- 
treat for shelter from their enemies, l^hat the whole 
race of Indians on this continent must hate the whites 
with a bitter hatred, no one can doubt. On every occa- 
sion they have broken faith with them, and have made 
themselves lords of the soil, by stealing their birth-right 
from the original inhabitants. Gradually, but surely, 
have the aboriginal Indians disappeared from the face of 
the world, driven out by the progress of civilization. It 
is not that by intermarriages, and other causes, the gene- 
ration of red men becomes insensibly mingled with the 

14 



1^^ TEXAS AND THE 



whites, but that by some inevitable decree of Providence 
they dwindle away, and are lost to the world for ever. 
All these things are wonderful, and past finding out. 

The Florida Indians are passionately addicted to hunt- 
ing, and by this means they provide themselves and their 
families witli food. Deer, bear, and wolf's skins, besides 
bees-wax and venison, are articles they sell to strangers. 
They traffic also in squirrels' skins, which are beautiful 
and very valuable; in short, could the Florida Indians 
overcome their longing to be free, they might live in com- 
fort enough. Those we saw at New Orleans, amounted 
in number to about two hundred, and they were con- 
stantly being augmented by IVesh captures. 

The poor creatures were kept in the barracks, which 
are situated about three miles from the city on the banks 
of the river. They were allowed the free range of the 
barrack-yard, but limited enough must such a liberty 
have appeared to them, accustomed to the free air of their 
native woods. We paid them several visits after their 
arrival, and the sight interested me extremely. They 
were most of them fine athletic-looking men, muscular, 
and well proportioned. I should say that they more re- 
sembled the Gypsies we are in the habit of seeing in Eu- 
rope, than any other people. Their complexion is of the 
same dark hue, and their hair long, straight, and shining. 
Some of the warriors were still in their paint; a hideous 
combination of colours which covered their bodies ; red 
being the most prevailing tint. The squaws were not re- 
markable for their personal charms ; I saw but one who 
could be pronounced, in the least degree, prettv. She 
was very young, almost a child in appearance, and bore 
her infant on her back ; she was nestling at the feet of a 
young and fine looking warrior, the son, I was told, of a 
great chief. Occasionally she raised her dark expressive 
eyes to his face, not presuming to address him; but 
watching his movements, and anticipating his wishes, 
with the patience and submission peculiar to the Indian 
wife. The rest of the women wxre employed in various 



GULF OF MEXICO. 159 

ways. They were evidently considered as infinitely in- 
ferior to their lords in the scale of humanity, and all the 
menial offices were left to them to perform. Their mode 
of bruising- the Indian corn, which forms their principal 
article of food, is by beating the grain in a large wooden 
trough, with heavy pieces of wood. It must have been 
very hard labour, yet the squaws performed it without re- 
ceiving the slightest assistance from the men, who, I 
have no doubt, would have felt themselves degraded, had 
they lent a hand to the work. Others of these hard-work- 
ing females were boiling potatoes for the daily meal, and 
one and all bore upon their backs a little patient infant. 
The poor little creatures were tightly swathed, like dimi- 
nutive mummies, and had no power to move any pait of 
their persons, excepting their large round eyes, which 
kept staring about in restless activity. There were a 
number of children of all ages and sizes playing about, 
and most of them were pretty and interesting. 

I was very much struck by the extreme gravity and 
silence preserved by the whole party, men and women. 
Even in their amusements, the same dignified composure 
was visible. We often found the young men playing at 
a game, which greatly resembled the old English sport 
called " Hockey." They displayed much skill and ac- 
tivity at this exercise : the old men in the mean time 
looking gravely on. Some of the warriors were stretched 
on the ground wrapped in their blankets, while others 
were leaning, with folded arms, against the walls. 

Among the prisoners was a great chief and warrior. 
His name was " Tiger Tail," and it was one that had 
often spread terror and dismay amongst his enemies. 
The chief was now old, his strength was on the decline, 
and he was patiently waiting the summons of the Great 
Spirit, to enjoy the reward of a brave warrior, in the 
happy hunting-grounds of the blest. But once more, 
however, the war-whoop had sounded in his ears, and 
scenting the battle afar off, the aged chief prepared 
to tread his last war-path, with the young warriors of his 



160 TEXAS AND THE 

tribe. Gallantly they fought, but the Manitou had turned 
away his face from his children, and after a fierce struggle 
they bent their heads beneath his displeasure ; and were 
led away captive. During this last engagement " Tiger 
Tail," was severely wounded, and from the nature of the 
hurt, his sufferings must have been very great. Notwith- 
standing this, he refused every offer of surgical assist- 
ance, and with true Indian stoicism, looked as composed, 
and as mentally unsubdued, as though he were seated at 
the council-fire of his tribe. 

The skill and bravery of " Tiger Tail" had on former 
occasions caused considerable loss to the American troops, 
and his capture was a source of peculiar congratulation 
to them. During their march in the winter season, 
through the vast forests of Florida, they had been una- 
voidably subjected to much hardship ; and the children 
in particular must have greatly suffered. I was told (by 
means of an interpreter) that one poor little fellow, a boy 
not five years old, had been lost in the forest on their 
march. Three months elapsed before he was found. 
During all that time he had been alone, and had existed 
literally upon fruits and wild honey. He was a remark- 
ably intelligent-looking child, as indeed they all were : 
when he was discovered in the forest, the boy was in 
very good preservation, and seemed likely to remain so. 
A plump, merry-looking little urchin he was, and there 
was that in his eye that would have made a warrior in 
the palmy days of Indian power. 

The prisoners were remarkably well fed and cared for, 
and on the whole did not look unhappy. They were oc- 
casionally allowed the indulgence of performing their na- 
tional war-dance, and this was done invariably at night. 
The scene was lighted up by torches, which they brand- 
ished in their hands. The stamping movement of their 
feet was accompanied at intervals by the most discordant 
whoops, and the whole ballet, though extremely curious, 
was any thing but a graceful exhibition. 

The first time we appeared amongst them, the Indians 



GULF OF MEXICO. 161 

exhibited no marked signs of wonder. They looked at 
us askance, and rather suspiciously, but once, only, did I 
see them roused to any thing- like animation. The object 
of their curiosity was my sable boa, and I shall not easily 
forget the silent wonder with which some of the grave old 
hunters regarded it. One of them, without any ceremony, 
took it away from me, in order to examine it more closely ; 
a little circle was then formed, and they deliberated 
upon its nature, and origin. The prevalent opinion 
certainly was, that it was the full length tail of some 
animal ; a creature to them unknown, on whom Na- 
ture had bestowed a " fly-disperser" of unusual length 
and beauty. After looking at it for a long time, one of 
them endeavoured to fasten it on the back of a brother 
hunter, who stood near : having done this, he proceeded 
to curl it up in order to make it look as natural as pos- 
sible. The joke was hailed by the rest with a momen- 
tary laugh, but in another second their countenances 
were as still, and as impassive as before. I had no idea 
that they could be half so facetious. 

We generally distributed some small coins amongst 
them ; money, however, they appeared to set but little 
value on. A much more acceptable present, I have no 
doubt, would have been some whiskey or rum. In com- 
mon with all savage tribes, they were passionately fond 
of ardent spirits, not the least among the evils for which 
they have to thank their civilized successors. 

I believe that it is the intention of the government to 
send the prisoners to St. Louis, with the object of settling 
them in the Western Prairies. 



14* 



162 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Public carriages — Negro slaves — Their habits and customs — 
Absence of religious feelings and observance at New Or- 
leans — Favourite s]X)rts — Stoppage of a bank — American 
crimps — Methodical habits of the citizens — Commerce of 
New Orleans. 

Ye men of prostrate minds! 

****** 

Shame on you, feeble heads to slavery prone .' 

Wordsworth. 

There is a railroad from New Orleans to Pontchar- 
train ; rather an indifferent one, certainly, for the carriages 
are none of them superior to our "second class" vehicles, 
while there is not even the satisfaction of going- quickly 
over the ground. 

The carriages which stand in the streets for hire, are, 
as I before remarked, particularly good and comfortable. 
They are usually driven by slaves, and at a very good 
pace. We employed the same carriage and driver nearly 
every day during our stay. The former was a species of 
caleche, and the negro, who performed the office of cha- 
rioteer, was the most communicative individual I ever 
saw. He was a very merry fellow, black as jet, and as 
shining as a plentiful supply of cocoa-nut oil could make 
him. His pockets were always full of nuts of various 
kinds, which he cracked and ate during the short pauses 
in his conversation. He often talked to us on the " Slavery 
question," told us how much money he had the opportu- 
nities of earning on his own account, and begged to assure 
us that it would by no means answer for him to be free. 
The recollection of this man induces me to say a few 
words upon the apparently happy life led by this much- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 



163 



pitied race at New Orleans. Among the list of grievances, 
I have heard it asserted that they are kept strictly apart 
from their " white brethren," and are evidently consi- 
dered, by this marked separation, as a degraded and infe- 
rior race. This, at New Orleans, is certainly not the 
case. I was constantly in the habit of seeing well-dressed 
American children, evidently the offspring of respectable 
parents, playing with little piccaninies, as black and as 
curly-headed as little niggers could well be, A perfect 
system of equality apparently existed among them, and in 
the course of their merry games the laugh of the black 
child was as clear and ringing as that of his white play- 
fellow. 

During our drives through the streets, especially on 
Sundays, the display of negro finery and taste was very 
remarkable. If we happened to overtake a particularly 




164 TEXAS AND THE 

well-dressed person with a Parisian coat, a glossy hat 
and well-varnished boots, we were sure to be surprised by 
seeing a black face appended to these advantages. I saw 
such persecuted negro slaves frequently ; they appeared to 
have no other occupation tlian that of flourishing about 
their gold-headed canes, and fixing a glass in their eye. 
Gloves (which are an unusual sight at New Orleans) they 
generally indulged in, and with one hand gracefully 
placed in the coat-pocket, looked worthy — behind — of 
figuring in the Tuileries, or St. James's Street. No one 
pays higher for his outfit than the negro in the slave 
states. He gives his money too, so carelessly, and with 
such an independent air. I have heard of their giving 
eighty dollars for a suit of clothes ; and their industry, 
and efforts to procure money, are highly praiseworthy. 
They are in the habit of giving their masters a certain 
sum of money, (generally, I believe, about two dollars a 
day,) in lieu of their services. Their time, then, is their 
own, and they are at liberty to make as much more out 
of it as they can. From what I saw and heard, I am 
inclined to think that many of the domestic slaves would 
not accept their liberty, were it offered to them. There 
is scarcely any spectacle more affecting in idea than that 
of a human being being made a matter of barter. I went to 
America strongly prejudiced against this unnatural traffic, 
and prepared to view every instance of it with horror, and 
every slave with compassion and sympathy. I became, 
however, after a short time, somewhat moderated in my 
opinions ; and though still regarding the slave-trade gene- 
rally, in the same light, I began to think that the slaves 
themselves were not quite so much to be pitied as I had 
imagined. The first time I saw a slave sold I was affected 
almost to tears, but after contemplating their cheerful, 
happy faces, and seeing how well and kindly they were 
generally treated, I learned to view the scene with different 
feelings. A slave-sale is in some respects a laughable sight 
enough. The American auctioneer is not to be outdone 
by that prince of auctioneers, George Robins himself, in 



GULF OF MEXICO. 165 

tlie exercise of his vocation. I once saw a very small 
" lot" put up ; it was a poor-looking creature about four 
feet high, and appeared certainly not much accustomed 
to stand in high places : he stood up, however, boldly 
enough, by the side of the auctioneer, dressed in the 
smart clothes kept for the especial purpose of making the 
poor fellows look their best. The auctioneer began, 
" This fine young man, gentlemen, is warranted to be 
only twenty years of age ; sound in wind and limb — he 
has an excellent character, and a good temper. More- 
over, gentlemen, he was born in the state of Mississippi, 
and is warranted to be a first-rate field hand, and a ter- 
rible good cotton-picker. It 'ud be a privilege to have 
him, gentlemen." All this time the object of such elo- 
quent praise stood on the elevated platform, and instead 
of (as one would imagine) looking distressed and imhappy, 
seemed only rather bewildered, and grinned throughout 
the ceremony from ear to ear. 

There certainly is a great absence of religious feeling 
and observance in this city. This may be attributed, in 
some measure, to the admixture of the Catholic and Pro- 
testant faith, professed by its various inhabitants. There 
is, however, I imagine, a deeper cause for the want of reli- 
gion observable here. There is no religion having authority, 
and thus in democratic countries, and particularly among a 
hard-headed and unimaginative people, like the Americans, 
devotional feeling becomes weakened and extinguished, 
when the outward observance of the rites and ceremonies of 
religion is in no degree a part of the government of the 
coiuitry. The subject altogether is too important, and in- 
volves too much learned disquisition for me to venture to 
touch upon it. I can only repeat the broad fact, that religion 
is treated with no respect at New Orleans. I have before re- 
marked that Sunday is their great day of amusement. 
This, however, alone would not establish the fact of their 
negligence in religious matters. We do' the same un- 
fortunately in England, ^and in almost all parts of the 
European Continent, and should not be the first, therefore, 



166 TEXAS AND THE 

to throw the stone. But the ceremonies of religion, 
church-going-, &c., are not thought of here ; they scarce- 
ly even think it necessary to profess a faith. This subject 
is one under frequent discussion between the wise men of 
the Northern and Southern States ; and numerous argu- 
ments arise in consequence. The former asserts, that in 
the north it is absolutely necessary to the character of an 
individual, that he should be nominally a member of 
some religious persuasion or other. Be it Catholic or 
Protestant, Shaker or Quaker, follower of Johanna South- 
cote, or an Anabaptist, it did not much signify ; but one 
or other he must choose. He must, they say, be some- 
thing ; whereas at New Orleans " Nobody is any thing." 

The favourite sport on Sunday is that of rifle-shooting. 
Thousands flock to the ground where the performance 
takes place, and great is the emulation excited among the 
aspirants for fame. The mark is a turkey, which is 
fastened to the flattened stump of a tree, and the distance 
from it to the marksman is about seventy yards. The 
turkeys used for this purpose are brought down the 
Mississippi, by dozens, in flat-bottomed boats. The 
American sportsmen failed in impressing us with a high 
opinion of their skill as rifle shots. They talk a great 
deal about it ; but that, we all know, is no proof of superior- 
ity. One of the New Orleans Society, who enjoyed the 
reputation of being one of the best shots in the United 
States, showed us a perforated target, of which he ap- 
peared extremely proud. He had laid a wager, that at a 
distance of seventy yards he would put half a dozen balls 
into a target ; a wafer was placed in the centre, and 
none of the balls were to enter at a greater distance than 
five inches from the wafer. He had come off* victorious 
in the match, and the target was laid up among his 
family relics, as a precious and honourable trophy of his 
skill. We remarked previous to the wager being ex- 
plained to us, that the balls were rather wide of the centre, 
but his amour propre was too great to receive a check 
easily ; — and he it was who boasted that he could " pick 



GULF OF MEXICO. 1 67 

oflf" a man at the distance of a thousand yards across the 
Mississippi. 

A feai'ful tragedy was acted shortly before our de- 
parture from New Orleans. A large bank stopped pay- 
ment, and the announcement was attended by an excite- 
ment among the inhabitants almost unequalled. Men 
were seen rushing abovit through the streets, some with 
bags of dollars on their shoulders, and all with dismay 
plainly marked on their countenances. During the 
course of the day, the various banks in the city were 
emptied of their cash, but it was not till the following 
morning that we learnt the most painful part of the story, 
namely, that the president of the bank, a man much 
considered and respected in New Orleans, had committed 
suicide. He left his house the day that the bank broke, 
and twenty-four hours after was found dead in the Yellow 
Fever Burial-Ground, having stabbed himself through the 
body. This sad instance of irreligion, and moral co- 
wardice, was the more deplorable, as the unhappy man 
had the misfortune to possess a wife and a large family 
of children. 

We Avere told that it was necessary to keep a constant 
watch over sailors, when in the liarbour of New Orleans, 
as they are frequently in the habit of escaping. It was 
now becoming late in the business-season ; a great num- 
ber of the ships had sailed ; and many of those still 
remaining found great difficulty in proctiring seamen for 
the voyage home. On hearing this, Mr. Houstoun took 
an early opportunity of informing the crew of the Dol- 
phin, that he had no desire of retaining any man in the 
vessel against his will ; and that if any of the " ship's 
company" felt disposed to go, they had better take their 
departure at once, and openly, instead of skulking off at 
the last moment, and leaving us without sufficient hands 
to work the ship. 

Thus prepared, we " lay upon our oars," and awaited 
the result. There is a thoroughly organized system here 
for entrapping English sailors, who are highly valued, 



168 TEXAS AND THE 

both as mercliant and men-of-war's-men. I may here 
recommend the latter to read Mr. Dana's work, " Two 
Years before the Mast." The Americans are incessantly 
endeavouring to entice the men from the various ships to 
which they belong-. The pay they offer is enormously 
high ; thirty dollars (six pounds a month) have been 
frequently given, and it may be imagined that very few 
sailors are proof against such high bribery as this. 

Merchant ships at New Orleans generally have their 
cargo stowed by contractors, who are experienced in the 
business, and who employ blacks and Irishmen for the 
purpose : the affair being arranged in this manner, it 
becomes almost a desideratimi with the captains of mer- 
chant vessels to get rid of their hands as soon as possible. 
They are thus spared the trouble and expense of keeping 
them during the six weeks or two months that their ships 
remain in the harbour. When a vessel is ready to sail, 
the captain has recourse to what is called a crimp, of 
which there are plenty, and this individual undertakes 
to man the ship. At two or three o'clock on the morning 
of departure, the captain goes into the forecastle, counts 
over the number of heads attached to so many drunken 
bodies, and finding the number stipulated for, he pays the 
agent the promised reward, and goes off as soon as he 
can. 

The ship is, of course, immediately taken in tow by a 
steam-tug, and she is perhaps well out of the river before 
her heterogeneous crew are roused from their deep sleep 
of intoxication. One can fancy the absurdity of the 
waking scene. Each man, having been, probably, in a 
state of perfect unconsciousness when taken on board, 
finds a difficulty in comprehending his situation. The 
man, used to sailing in a little schooner, with perhaps but 
two hands on board, finds himself in a large ship, on the 
deep sea, with fifty strange faces around him. The fresh- 
water sailor, who has been for years on board the Missis- 
sippi steamboats, and has become so used to the loud 
voices of their high-pressure engines, that he can hardly 



GULF OF MEXICO. 1 69 

sleep without their lullaby, awakes — feels himself bound- 
ing on in silence, and cannot imderstand how he can be 
moving on without noise, smoke, or jerking. In like 
manner, the fisherman, who had never contemplated the 
possibility of his leaving his native river, awakes in a 
liner bound for Liverpool, and in bewildered astonishment 
gazes on the stupid countenances of his companions in 
misfortune. It is no uncommon thing for landsmen to 
pass themselves off as sailors, in order to gain the tempting 
wages offered to them. On one occasion, the doctor was 
witness to an amusing scene, in which these soi disant 
able-bodied seamen were actors. They were going through 
a regular course of practice, to enable them to pass 
muster, and to prevent the immediate discovery of their 
trickery. 

No attempts were made to prevent our men from coming 
in contact with bribery and corruption. Here, as in every 
other port that we visited during our cruise, they had per- 
mission to go on shore whenever they asked for it — half 
of their number were always away from the yacht ; and 
it rarely happened that they broke their " leave." One 
day, however, to our great surprise, for we had seen no 
previous marks of disaffection, or desire for change, we 
were greeted by the unwelcome intelligence that two of 
our men were missing, and it was supposed had gone over 
to the Americans. They had escaped during the night, 
in silence, and without any witness, as far as we could 
prove. The look-out man declared that he had not seen 
them take their departure, but we could not believe him ; 
he felt, however, that he could not have betrayed his mess- 
mates, and we did not press for his confidence. 

The two deserters were the only married men on board, 
and I suppose were anxious to return to their domestic 
comforts, as we afterwards learnt that they had taken ser- 
vice in a merchant brig bound for England. Subsequently 
to this period, we continually noticed well-dressed men, 
who were evidently " crimps," endeavouring to inveigle 

15 



170 TEXAS AND THE 

and entice away the men who formed the crew of the gig. 
Directly these men perceived us approaching-, they hur- 
ried away with every mark of confusion. 

Had Mr. Houstoun thought proper to follow the example 
set him, we might soon have found substitutes, by resort- 
ing to the same dishonourable means which were employed 
in our own case. As it was, however, we were not long 
delayed by a deficiency of hands. The service of an 
English yacht is sure to be a popular one, and the new 
men were pronounced active, and sharp : they were both 
Englishmen, and had lately served in a man-of-war. 

I should say, speaking of the Americans in the daily 
habits of their lives, that they are a particularly methodi- 
cal people. The same thing is almost invariably done at 
the same hour, let it be " liquoring," eating soup,* going 
over 'Change, or entering the gambling-houses, of which, 
be it remembered, there are many. For a somewhat cold- 
blooded people, it is marvellous to me how fond the Ameri- 
cans are of this species of excitement. It exists in all 
shapes ; and their horse-races are attended more regularly 
and more energetically even than our OAvn ; the betting, 
too, on these occasions, is most spirited. 

Another of the remarkable points in the character of 
the New Orleans citizen, is, as I was informed, his fond- 
ness for duelling. The nearness of their birth-place to 
the Equator, may possibly account both for this and for 
their gambling propensities ; the hot blood of the south 
having certainly a little to do with these peculiar vices. 
I have heard it affirmed that duels take place most fre- 
quently in the hot season. At this period they are said 
to become irascible, and to be easily excited, and it is just 
as well for peaceable men to keep out of their way. In 
the winter, on the contrary, they become quiet and phleg- 

* There are regular soup-houses here. Their soups 
principally consist of oysters and gumbo, the latter a root 
peculiar to the country, and collected by tlie Indians. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 171 

matic ; the cold air chills their blood, and they at once 
cease to be dangerous. 

I will give one proof of the extremely methodical habits 
of the New Orleans citizens, and of the adroit manner in 
which certain matters are managed here. The post-office 
is a large building, in the centre of which there is a bar, 
or " liquoring hall." A clock of conspicuous appearance 
also decorates the entrance. The merchants, &lc., are in 
the daily habit of calling for tlieir letters at the post-office, 
there being no delivery in any other manner. The man 
who kept the bar — and a cunning man he must have 
been — remarked, that at a certain hour all the merchants, 
after securing their despatches, went off to another house 
to liquor. He took great pains to ascertain the exact 
hour at which this ceremony took place ; and having done 
so, made his arrangements accordingly. It appeared, that 
before going "on 'Change," the merchants, as though ac- 
tuated by one simultaneous motive, took their morning 
" liquor" precisely at half past ten. The hands of the 
post-office clock pointed at a quarter past ten when the 
letters were delivered ; and the men of business immedi- 
ately hurried off to take their invigorating draught. Our 
friend at the post-office, craftily and in secret, contrived 
daily to move on the hands of his clock some ten minutes. 
The merchants looked up. " What ! As I'm alive, it's 
half past ten a'most ; its infarnal late ; I actilly must take 
my liquor here to-day. Sir." And so they all did. And 
after a time, it became a, confirmed habit to take their 
early dram at the bar of the post-office. He was a very 
smart man that gin sling and sherry cobler seller. 

I believe that the " liquoring" hour often tells the New 
Orleans citizen what o'clock it is, so regular is the habit, 
and so indispensable is it to his comfort. 

It is impossible not to reflect with admiration, when 
one walks through the streets of New Orleans, on the 
immense distance to which goods are conveyed by the 
people who purchase them. Every fifth store is a hatter's, 
and to judge from the flourishing state of this branch of 



172 TEXAS AND THE 

trade, " awful good" hats must be in great demand. 
Numbers are sent to the Yankees in the Far West, and 
as the dress in those distant settlements is very savage 
and primitive, the effect of a very large shining hat on 
the head of one of these skin-clad settlers, must be very 
charming. Another remark I made at New Orleans, 
connected with a much more important branch of trade, 
may not be uninteresting. At New Orleans, I saw a 
gown of printed cotton, which had been purchased at 
one of the stores ; the pattern was pretty, the price very 
moderate, and the colomrs indelible. The cheapness of 
the cotton I thought so remarkable, that I was induced 
to ask " whence it came ?" The reply was, that it was 
of American manufacture. And so it was — and even I — 
unskilled as I am in commercial matters, was struck by 
the possible consequences of the perfection to which the 
Americans have brought their manufactures. I had 
never thought much on the subject, but I had always 
supposed that all kinds of cotton and woollen goods, be- 
sides iron ware, were imported into America from Eng- 
land. To my great surprise, however, I found that 
nearly every thing of this kind that we saw was of 
native manufacture, and that the prices of them were no 
higher than in England. \ It is a positive fact, and cer- 
tainly an important one, that in the year 18'26, one hun- 
dred and fifty millions of yards of calico were imported 
into the United States ; and that last year the quantity 
was reduced to fifteen millions ! It appears to me that 
America has, thus far, derived benefit from her almost 
restrictive tariff; for she is now, as far as regards the 
manufacture of cotton, woollen, and iron goods, inde- 
pendent of other countries. The manufacturing of these 
articles is so profitable a business, that several English 
companies are establishing factories, &lc. in various parts 
of America. When the Yankee spirit of enterprise and 
go-a-headism is taken into consideration, it may fairly be 
conjectured that, at no distant period, they will become 
formidable rivals to Great Britain, and will greatly inter- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 173 

fere with her exclusive privilege of supplying the world 
with the articles above mentioned. 

I have laid in a stock of new books for the voyage, 
for at no place can a temporary library be procured at a 
less outlay than in the United States. Bulwer's novel of 
the " Last of the Barons," was sold at two bits, — about 
eleven pence — and every other work in proportion ! A 
work published in England comes out almost simulta- 
neously in the United States ; and English works of 
standard authors are eagerly bought, and read — I sus- 
pect — mostly by the ladies. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Mr. Clay the popular orator — General remarks on American 
society and manners — Departure from New Orleans. 

Si nous n'avions point de defauts, nous ne prendrions pas 
tant de plaisir a en remarquer dans les autres. 

Rochefoucauld. 
L'esprit de defiance nous fait croire que tout le monde est 
capable de nous tromper. 

La Bruvere. 

Mr. Clay was at New Orleans: he is their great orator 
and a whig, and it is supposed by many that he will be 
their president at some future time. There was much 
public dancing, driving, eating and speechifying in his 
honour, for among the characteristics of their English 
origin, that of exercising their eating and drinking 
powers in behalf of a popular character, still remains 
in all its glory. Mr. Clay is deservedly popular ; he was 
making a sort of progress through the States, but I am 
told does not pay his travelling expenses out of his own 
purse. This makes a vast difference, and is the strongest 
possible proof of the orator's popularity. The affections 
of the multitude seldom endure, after an appeal is made 

15* 



174 TEXAS AND THE 

to their pockets. The last tribute paid before his de- 
parture, to the orator's high, and well-deserved reputa- 
tion, appeared in the shape of a public ball. Invitations 
were sent on board the yacht, but unluckily they only 
arrived the day after the fete ; and by this means we 
were prevented from witnessing what was, no doubt, an 
interesting national display. I heard, however, the events 
of the evening described, and Mr. Clay's polite speech to 
the New Orleans ladies was much admired. 

One of my greatest sources of amusement, was in re- 
marking how different are the sayings and doings of a 
people speaking the same language, and descended from 
the same parent stock as ourselves. In the stores, you 
will see people, who should you happen to meet them the 
next day, will be prepared at once to claim your notice, 
by shaking hands with you. This custom, strange as it 
at first appears to the inhabitant of aristocratic countries, 
is very easily accounted for. Let it be remembered that, 
in this country, no " honest calling" precludes a man from 
tlie right of being called a " gentleman," and that whilst 
you are possibly stigmatizing him as " forward" or " im- 
pertinent," he is not in the least degree conscious, that 
because your fortune may consist in lands, place or 
funded property, and his in dry goods, you are, therefore, 
in any way privileged to consider yourself a greater man 
than himself 

It struck me, however, that the manners of the Ameri- 
cans were deficient in that real dignity, which consists in 
finding one's right place in society and keeping it. In 
such a society as exists in America, all stations are ill 
defined, nor can there ever be a standard of good-breeding, 
where so many causes concur to render the grades of 
society for ever fluctuating. Much, therefore, is left to 
the intuitive tact and natural good sense of each indi- 
vidual ; but the peculiar sensitiveness of the Americans 
renders them perhaps ill qualified to manage these delicate 
matters well. This is particularly to be remarked when 
they are brought in contact with foreigners. The Ameri- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 175 

can who, in his own country, and towards his own people, 
is courteous and polite, — neither vainglorious, nor apt to 
take offence, — becomes in Europe, or amongst Europeans 
(from this very want of knowing his station) abrupt, 
rude, and offensively boastful. He lives in constant fear 
of transgressing those rules of etiquette, of which he 
greatly overrates the importance ; and, fearful of not 
being enough considered, and aiming at achieving a 
trivial and unworthy importance, he ceases to be the 
manly, independent character, for which nature and 
education intended him. 

But to return to the effect produced upon us by the 
apparent familiarity of an American's first abord. The 
Englishman, wrapped up in his armour of aristocratic 
absurdity, need not be alarmed at the advanc3s of the 
well-meaning Yankee; the latter has his share of pride, 
and that not a trifling one ; and he is the last man in the 
world to force his acquaintance where there is the 
slightest chance of its being unwelcome. I allow, that 
some things here are startling enough at first, and I con- 
fess that I did not quite like hearing my maid called, 
« the lady that waits upon you." One is also certainly 
apt to imagine undue familiarities and disrespect, where 
nothing of the kind is intended : but wait a little ; divest 
yourself of a few of the prejudices engendered and 
fostered by our conventional state of society, and we 
shall soon be less shocked, and more willing to give our 
firiends across the water credit for good feeling, and good 
sense, though perhaps not for good taste. The English 
are too apt to assert as an undeniable fact, that " the 
Americans are ungentlemanlike ;" thus arrogating to 
themselves the right of deciding upon the manners of a 
whole nation. But let us ask on what grounds they 
claim this exclusive censorship ? We have, I admit, set 
up for ourselves a standard of refinement, and savoir faire, 
very different from any thing we are likely to meet with 
in the United States ; but does it, therefore, follow that 
we must be right ; or that, allowing that our habits are 



176 TEXAS AND THE 

more refined, there are not advantages in their democratic 
state of society, whicJi more than counterbalance those of 
which we are so proud ? 

In aristocratic societies, where all is polished, there is 
more, much more that is false : the soft, and pleasant 
veil of refinement, in rendering vice less revolting, greatly 
increases its growth ; and in a society such as ours, where 
the display of natural feelings is repressed by the cold 
rules of ceremony and what is called good breeding, great 
risk is run of their being extinguished altogether. The 
genuine kindheartedness of the Yankee is not checked 
by these cold and unnatural laws, and vice with them, 
being seen in all its naked deformity, unadorned and 
hideous, is never mistaken for what it is not, but is repro- 
bated as it deserves to be. 

Originality, and absence of affectation, are the essential 
characteristics of American manners ; I speak of the 
gentleman of the United States, when in his own country. 
Whatever is original, and natural, carries with it a cer- 
tain respectability, but directly this is lost, indifferent 
imitations take its place, and the imitative American 
like every one else in similar circumstances, becomes 
ridiculous. The manners of the Americans in general, 
however, are not bad, and it can only be alleged against 
them that they have no artificial manners at all. This, 
in our estimation, is a grievous fault ; and it must be ad- 
mitted that infinite pleasure is taken by our countrymen 
in turning into ridicule tlie peculiarities of a people, of 
whose real excellencies they are too prejudiced to judge 
impartially. That the ridicule is returned by the Ameri- 
cans, and with interest, and often with as much legitimate 
food for its exercise, there is no doubt. The manners and 
habits of the English differing so essentially from their 
own, are not likely to escape with impunity ; and whilst 
the members of our aristocratic community are laughing 
contemptuously at tlie want of courtly breeding displayed 
by tlie Americans, the latter are still less lenient to our 



GULF OP MEXICO. 177 

devotion to trivial etiquette, and what tlicy consider our 
servile adulation of rank and station. 

After all, what can be the motives which induce two 
great nations to be constantly attacking each otlier in 
this puerile way. They are on different sides of the 
wide Atlantic ; surely there is room enough in the world 
for both. The hostile feeling, existing between the 
countries, is kept alive by the constant attacks of authors, 
many of whom are ignorant of the nature of really good 
society. These people cross the Atlantic from the east 
and west; a clever, but possibly an imderbred English 
writer, makes a tour of the States, sees absolutely nothing 
of good American society, and publishes a book, criti- 
cising that of which he or she is totally unqualified to 
give an opinion. This work is then sent across the 
Atlantic, as a faithful picture of the habits and national 
characteristics of a great nation. Upon this, there fol- 
lows squib after squib from either side. The great fea- 
tures of national character are disregarded, and the 
points of attack are small personal defects, faults of lan- 
guage, and coarseness of behaviour. Animosity is ex- 
cited in both nations, for who can deny that ridicule is 
harder to bear than abuse. Neither the English, nor the 
Americans, find it easy to forgive an aifront, and the 
feeling of jealousy, and suspicion, once thoroughly aroused, 
it will I fear be long before it is allayed. Owing to this 
inveterate feeling, the English traveller in the States 
finds the greatest difficulty in arriving at truth ; whilst 
the American in England sees every thing through a 
mental vision distorted by prejudice, jealousy, and vin- 
dictiveness. 

One of the principal charges brought against our 
friends across the Atlantic is, that they are in the habit 
of boasting, both of themselves and their country, in an 
indiscriminate and offensive manner. If we were not 
endowed with a considerable share of pride ourselves, we 
should not complain so much when we meet with it in 



178 TEXAS AND THE 

others ; for that which renders the vanity of others so 
insupportable, is that it wounds our own. 

The Americans are proud, and justly so, of their self- 
earned freedom, of the liberal constitution of their country, 
and of the place in the scale of nations in which tiieir own 
exertions have placed them. It is unfortunate, however, 
that they cannot bear their honours meekly, but do injury 
to their own, and their country's cause, by their habits of 
exaggeration and self-praise. There is a want of quiet 
and genuine dignity about the American's sense of free- 
dom and equality. If he feels that the advantages he 
thus enjoys are great, let him value them in silence, and 
let their fruits be seen. The American, however, would 
not be half so boastful, did they feel that they were cor- 
rectly judged, and rightly appreciated by us. That they 
will be so in time, I have little doubt, but time must elapse 
before either party will be softened. It is a good genuine 
brotherly hatred, the strongest of any when it once takes 
root, because, in fraternal feuds, jealousy has always more 
or less a share. 

But it is not only in their personal habits, that the 
Americans find themselves exposed to attack and criti- 
cism. A strong feeling against their good faith and 
trustworthiness certainly exists, both as regards their 
public and private relations. In this respect, I can make 
but few remarks, and those certainly cannot be in their 
justification. Amongst themselves, it is well known that 
there hardly exists a man, who for the sake of realizing a 
profit, be it ever so small, will scruple to employ any 
means in his power to overreach his neighbour. This 
being known and acknowledged, it excites among them- 
selves neither fear nor indignation ; the struggle between 
these acute calculators becomes neither more nor less than 
a keen encounter of their wits, in which honour, and high 
feeling have no share. 

It is true that both parties, (where the means employed 
are no secret) start upon equal terms ; but such freedom 
of action, (to speak of it in the mildest terms) must, to a 



GULF OF MEXICO. 179 

certain degree, blunt the susceptibilities, and cause an ab- 
sence of gentlemanly and honourable feeling in their 
money concerns, both public and private. Notwithstand- 
ing all this, I believe that such better feelings do exist, 
and I am convinced, that in proportion as an American 
will exert all his energies to shave his adversary on 
change, so he will be true as steel to the friend whom he 
has once admitted to his confidence. 

The only apparent aristocracy in the United States is 
that of wealth, and heaven knows the idol is in no want 
of w^orshippers. It has, however, been impossible for even 
this democratic and money-making people to root out of 
their English natures their respect for rank, and their 
zeal for personal aggrandizement. They have a way of 
talking about titles and hereditary distinctions, from roy- 
alty to the last made peer, which is meant to mark their 
contempt for such aristocratic follies. It is done, too, 
with a bravado, which is often intended to shock the pre- 
judices of their English auditors. The very frequency of 
their recurrence to these topics, however, sufficiently 
marks the degree of importance which they attach to 
them. I saw instances of this without end, and even 
heard of an American gentleman, who, being confined to 
his bed during a long illness, seriously amused himself 
with reading the Peerage from beginning to end ! In 
short, I should say, that no people bend the knee lower at 
the shrine of hereditary rank than the Americans ; and I 
verily believe, that if Queen Victoria were to take an ex- 
cursion across the Atlantic, a circumstance which, in 
these days of locomotive Sovereigns seems not quite im- 
possible, her iMajesty might travel from New York to 
Virginny, with true-hearted Yankees harnessed to her 
travelling carriage. I do not know, however, if I could 
venture to affirm as much, if royalty were to pay them a 
visit under any other form than that of youth and beauty. 

I think it is De Tocqueville who remarks on the fond- 
ness of the Americans generally for tracing back their 
origin to the first colonists of the country ; and certainly, 



180 TEXAS AND THE 

with all their jealousy of the Motlier Country, they are 
exceedingly proud of their Anglo-Saxon origin. I have 
also noticed, that notwithstanding the very equality of 
which the Yankee so frequently boasts, as marking the 
superiority of his own nation over that of every other 
people, he is most anxious to disclaim the existence of in 
his own person. By some means or other, he is always 
attempting to prove that he is a splendid exception to the 
general rule, and that he is a great man on his own ac- 
count, — a very triton among the minnows. 

Another petty cause of still more trivial quarrels, is a 
habit to which the Americans are remarkably addicted, 
namely, that of drawing incessant comparisons between 
the two countries. If the institutions, the habits, or even 
the public characters of Great Britain are under discus- 
sion, an American immediately sets to work to find some 
parallel in his own country, the merits of which he hopes 
will throw those of the opposite party into the shade. 
Violent and provoking language is often the result of this 
injudicious conduct ; and unfortunately, even in private 
society, and in the presence of ladies, they are too apt to 
lead the conversation to these unsafe and disagreeable 
subjects. As an instance of this, an American gentleman 
one evening said to me, speaking of the apartment in 
which we were sitting. " I expect now, you've not such 
lofty rooms as tliese. Ma'am, in the Old Country ?" And 
then again, " Why now, don't you diet in public at the 
hotel ? ycu mightn't do it in England, but here we never 
do insult our females." It is difficult, in offering an 
opinion on the American people, to avoid giving offence to 
one side or the other. Few travellers in the United 
States will venture to be sincere in their remarks. The 
English are not satisfied if the dish of American abuse 
served up to them, is insufficient to satisfy the cravings off 
their appetite, whilst the Yankees are equally indignant, , 
if they are spoken of in any other terms, than as the 
" greatest nation on the face of God's airth." Of their ' 
public debts I have said enough, and will only add, that t 



GULF OF MEXICO. 181 

they cannot expect to be popular in England, so long as 
thousands are losers by their dishonesty. On the other 
hand, both parties should remember that they are de- 
scended from the same parent stock, and this ought to be 
a motive, as soon as possible, for burying their grievances 
in oblivion. The national character of the Americans is 
the same as our own ; changed, however, and modified 
by a widely different form of government, and habits 
exclusively commercial. That these habits are among 
those that "tame great nations," there is no question; 
and I fear it is equally true, that when " men change 
swords for legers," "ennobling thoughts depart." In 
some respects, they may be better than those who live in 
the land of their fathers, and in others worse ; let us, 
therefore, hope for peace between them. 

For my own part, I confess that after a short residence, 
I entertained towards the inhabitants of this fine speci- 
men of an American city, very different feelings from 
those with which I entered it. It is true, indeed, that 
my experience of their character, and my time for ob- 
servation, were both limited ; still, during the season of 
our residence, thousands met at New Orleans from all 
parts of the American Union. This is always the case 
during the winter and business months ; and I was in- 
formed, that perhaps no where could so good an opportu- 
nity be found, for strangers to see a considerable variety 
of character and incident. The Americans are, I should 
say, hospitable, warm-hearted, and generous ; and in- 
clined to be so most particularly to the English who 
visit their city. 

As for the middle and lower classes (for, notwithstand- 
ing their boasted equality, such distinctions do, and must 
exist), I should pronounce them to be far superior, both 
in education, conduct, and address, to the corresponding 
class in our own country. The knowledge which each 
man possesses, that he may, by good conduct and supe- 
rior attainments, raise himself to the highest considera- 

16 



182 TEXAS AND THK 

tion enjoyed among- his countrymen, must, in almost all 
cases, have the effect of stimulating the mind to good and 
useful endeavours, and preventing the increase of dis- i 
orderly, idle, and useless members of the community. J 

Our intention, in returning to New Orleans, had been ] 
to ascend the Mississippi to a considerable distance, and j 
thus to see as much as we could in a short time of this 
wonderful river, and the great and rising cities on its 
banks. Our purpose was defeated, by hearing unsatisfac- , 
tory accounts of the state of the country ; the snows and ; 
ice not being sufficiently melted to render travelling 
agreeable. I was extremely disappointed at finding that ' 
my plan for making a northern tour could not be carried ' 
into execution. It is, however, only postponed ; and I , 
hope at some future time to extend my knowledge of ■ 
America beyond its present narrow limits. I have said, : 
that in Louisiana the nature of the people is kind and 
liberal, — what it may be in the Northern States, where 
the climate and other causes, may contribute to chill the 
feelings and deaden the quick impulses, I have yet to 
learn. 

I can hardly imagine a more pleasurable excursion 
than that of ascending or descending the Mississippi, in 
one of their great river steamers. I went on board one 
of the largest, the Missouri, before we left, and was really 
astonished at the comfort of the interior. There is so 
much room for every one, such space for walking-exer- 
cise, that confinement in her would, I think, be no punish- 
ment, even for a considerable time. And then there 
would be the constant variety of scenery, the change of ' 
place — all delightful. But the time has come when we 
must take our leave. I see the little fleet forming the 
Texan navy busy in making preparations for a warlike 
cruise ; and I hear our men singing and joking, in their 
delight at the prospect of a change. The order is given 
to weigh anchor, and we float down the stream once 
more. As we approached the mouth of the southwest 
pass, we perceived two large cotton-vessels bound for Li- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 183 

verpool, and drawing- about sixteen feet of water, sticking 
fast in the mud. We were told that they had been in the 
same situation three weeks, and tliat it was not unusual 
for vessels to remain there double that time. They looked 
very forlorn and uncomfortable. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Second arrival at Galveston — Texan news — The Ellen Frank- 
land steamer's voyage up the Trinity river — Its importance 
— State of commerce — Capacity of Galveston harbour — False 
accounts of crime in Texas — Fortune-getting propensity. 

Nor will life's stream for observation stay. 

It hurries all too fast to mark their way: 

In vain sedate reflections we would make, 

When half our knowledge we must snatch, not take. 

Pope. 
Have we not track'd the felon home, and found 
His birth-place, and his dam ? 

COWPER. 

****** 

Let th' arraign'd 
Stand up unconscious, and refute the charge. 

Idem. 

After a short and prosperous voyage, we were again 
at anchor in Galveston harbour. Immediately after our 
arrival, we received the cordial greetings of our kind 
friends, and were congratulated on having a third time 
braved the dangers of the bar in safety. Our first in- 
quiry was, of course, for news, and were not afraid of 
hearing the reply, so commonly made in Europe, " No- 
thing at all going on — all as flat as possible." Just at 
present, in this struggling country, every hour brings 
with it its event, and not a day passes without being 
marked by some endeavour (often a successful one) of 
these energetic settlers to raise their country into strength 



184 TEXAS AND THE 

and prosperity. The most important among the events 
which were in progress, was the advance of a body of 
Mexicans. They were said to be approaching the town 
of Bexar, but not in any considerable force. The Texans 
did not seem in the least afraid of them ; indeed, I rather 
thought our friends would not object to having another 
brush with the enemy. The President was still up the 
country at Washington ; and it had been announced that 
the lady of the General (the Presidentess, or whatever 
her title may be), had given birth to a son. May he one 
day fill the office, and enjoy the honours now so worthily 
borne by his sire. Another circumstance which had lately 
occurred, had caused great satisfaction. A steamer, by 
name the Ellen Frankland, had returned in safety to the 
harbour, after having made a successful voyage up the 
Trinity river, to a distance of between four and five hun. 
dred miles from its mouth. This was the first occasion 
of such an undertaking having succeeded ; and it forms 
almost an era in the commercial history of the country. 
The voyage must have been a peculiarly interesting one, 
and Mr. Houstoun had decided to take a passage on board, 
when the Ellen Frankland went her next trip. Our stay, 
however, was not long enough for us to take advantage 
of such an excellent opportunity for seeing the country ; 
and when this interesting and adventurous little vessel 
tried her fate again, we were daring the dangers of the 
deep on our way back to Old England. 

Captain Frankland, the owner of the steamer, assured 
us that the navigation was perfectly practicable, even to 
a point within a distance of sixty or seventy miles of the 
Red river. This part of the country had been lately 
granted to a joint company of English and American 
speculators, who had already introduced a great number 
of settlers. I have heard, also, that an English company 
have lately undertaken a speculation, which appears likely 
to prove not only a source of considerable profit to them- 
selves, but also to be in its results extremely advantageous 
to the interests of the country generally. The intention 



GULF OF MEXICO. 185 

is to run iron steamers, with a very light draught, up and 
down tlie Trinity ; the steamers liaving flat-bottomed rafts 
attached to them. The successfvil result of Captain 
Frankland's expedition, has proved that there do not exist 
in the Trinity river, any great or insurmountable impedi- 
ments to navigation. This cannot be said of the gene- 
rality of the rivers in Texas, which are shallow, and full 
of snags and hindrances of all kinds. As regards its po- 
sition with reference to the United States, the navigable 
capabilities of the Trinity must prove of immense and in- 
calculable benefit to the city of Galveston, in a commer- 
cial point of view, and the citizens are already anticipating 
the numerous advantages they are likely to derive from 
the discovery of this invaluable water-privilege. It is now 
ascertained that a canal, connecting the Trinity with the 
Red river, would not be by any means an expensive un- 
dertaking, the distance being about sixty miles, and the 
country perfectly level. There can be no doubt that all 
the vast quantity of cotton, and other produce grown on 
the Red lands, would then be transmitted direct, by means 
of the canal and the Trinity river, to the town of Galves- 
ton, instead of being put on board steamers in the Red 
river,* and being sent by a long, dangerous, and most cir- 
cuitous route to New Orleans. I fancy that the citizens 
of the republic enjoy not a little the idea of overreaching and 
circumventing the Americans. They are perfectly aware, 
that should this mode of transit be established, a grand 
field will be opened to them for all sorts of smuggling 
transactions. Unlawful goods will no doubt be introduced 
into the United States, in sufficient quantities to supply 

* The Americans attach such importance to this Red 
river trade, that the United States Congress has repeatedly 
voted immense sums to clear away the rafts, or wood-drifts, 
which are constantly accumulating, and to such an extent, 
as frequently to put a stop to navigation for months to- 
gether. 

16* 



186 TEXAS AND THE 

the whole western country, and American produce will 
doubtless be exported from Galveston by the Texans, 
greatly to the dissatisfaction of their ci-devant country- 
men at New Orleans. 

In considering the state of commerce here, there is one 
truth plainly evident, viz : that the Texans will soon mo- 
nopolize the whole of the Mexican trade. This has liitherto 
been conducted by trading-parties from the United States, 
wdio after traversing the entire extent of the Great Wes- 
tern Prairies, as far as the Rocky Mountains, meet, and 
transact their negotiations with the Mexican traders at 
Santa Fe. When it is considered, that Santa Fe is only 
distant from Galveston five hundred miles, one may form 
some idea of the commercial advantages the Texans would 
possess over the Americans. The latter have, for years, 
found it worth their while to pay the enormous duties 
charged for the admission of English cotton goods into 
America. The merchandise has then been transported 
from Philadelphia or New York, upwards of four thousand 
miles to Santa Fe, and great part of this distance on the 
backs of beasts of burden. What a price the poor Mexi- 
cans must have paid for their purchases, to allow these 
enterprising traders a profit, and one good enough to 
satisfy a Yankee calculator. 

It might naturally have been expected, that these signs 
of the present, and visions of the future, would have 
aroused the government to exertion, and induced them 
to take some measures in order to render the entrance of 
the harbour less dangerous. Nothing, however, has been 
done ; and as long as the men in ofiice and authority per- 
ceive no actual good resulting to themselves individually, 
from the furtherance of any public work, they will not 
endeavour to forward it. They are not sufficiently disin- 
terested, to expend the public money upon the public alone. 

The harbour of Galveston, if properly buoyed, would 
be, by no means, a bad one. The entrance is perfectly 
safe for vessels drawing ten feet of water, and there are 
times when ships drawing twelve, and even fom'teen feet, 



GULF OF MEXICO. 187 

may venture in. It is, without any question, the best 
harbour in the Gulf of Mexico, and there is no doubt that 
no other port than that of Galveston will ever be of any 
commercial importance in Texas. In the present state, 
however, of this neglected harbour, no Company either in 
England or America, will insure vessels bound for the 
port of Galveston. 

We had determined not to put implicit faith in the nu- 
merous surveys and charts of the diiferent harbours lower 
down the Gulf, and had resolved, if possible, to see and 
judge for ourselves. The intention was to send the go- 
vernment pilot, a clever navigator, in his little schooner 
down to Matagorda, and Aransas. After ascertaining the 
depth of water on the several bars, we should then know 
where we might venture to take the yacht, and Mr. 
Houstoun would possibly have an opportunity of enjoying 
some buffalo-hunting, w^hich he was very anxious to do. 
The Chasse in Western Texas is far superior to any that 
can be hoped for here ; considerable herds of buffalo and 
wild horses still existing, and deer in great numbers. 
The country also, near the sea in Western Texas is de- 
scribed as being elevated ; and instead of being, like other 
parts of the country, low and almost under water, the im- 
dulating hills approach in the vicinity of Aransas, almost 
to the sea-beach. 

A great deal has been said about the vast extent of 
crime in the Republic of Texas. If we are to believe 
many of the writers of the day, murderers are to be met 
at every town, life is not safe for a moment, and private 
property is never respected. The whole of the population 
are described as dishonest and bloodthirsty ; the very re- 
fuse of the vile. There is said to be " no law," and that 
public justice is unknown. That these accusations are 
almost entirely false I have no hesitation in asserting ; 
indeed, even by a glance At the general character of the 
people, one must feel that they are undeserved. 

Let us ask, is an irresistible longing for fi-eedom the 
characteristic of a mind degraded by crime ? Do felons, 



188 TEXAS AND THE 

thieves, and assassins, fight for tlieir country as the Texans 
have done ? I should say, certainly not ; and the refuta- 
tion of the charge becomes still more clear and positive 
when we recollect that it was not for pay that they fought; 
but that they were actuated by one spontaneous impulse 
of patriotism, and the love of honest independence. 
" Sound, healthy children of the God of Heaven," they 
could not submit to the degrading yoke of the Mexican. 
But there is another circumstance which tends to give the 
lie to these accusations, and to establish the fact that the 
Texans are at least not worse than their neighbours, viz. 
the fact of the almost non-existence of courts of law in 
this country. This is nearly the only one in the long list 
of accusations brought against the colonists in Texas in 
which there is truth. The rarity of the criminal acts 
(which I maintain there is in this country) is rendered 
still more remarkable by this circumstance. Lynch law 
is the only description of retributive justice to be looked 
for here ; and if we compare the annals of crime in other 
countries (where men are restrained by the strong arm 
of the law) with the list of oifences committed here, we 
could easily prove that the primitive proceedings of the 
Texans are not productive of murders, thefts, and immo- 
ralities. In a country where there is no police, and no 
executive authority, it is something to say, — and it may 
be said with truth, — that theft is almost unknown. Should 
such a misdemeanour be committed, and it is on record 
that a Scotchman once stole a piece of meat from the 
house of a neighbour, summary justice would be adminis- 
tered by the unanimous voice of the people. As to the 
charge, so often brought against them, of shooting and 
stabbing, I aver, that were any other people possessed of 
the same power of killing their adversaries with impunity, 
they would much more frequently avail themselves of the 
privilege. The Texans, almost without exception, carry 
their national weapon, the Bowie knife, about them, and 
this alone, one would imagine, would lead to a frequency 
of assassinations. It is proved, even among our own 



GULF OF MEXICO. 189 

people, that the use of the knife, when found conveniently 
at hand, can hardly be resisted in moments of passionate 
anger, and this in a country where punishment is sure to 
follow. The Texan, to a certain degree, is allowed to 
take the law into his own hands ; but should it afterwards 
be pronounced by the unprejudiced voices of the people, that 
either the punishment of his enemy was undeserved, or not 
warranted by the first duty of self-preservation, he becomes 
himself amenable to punishment by means of lynch law. 
That this state of things cannot continue long, I am well 
aware, nor can it be doubted, that the increase of popula- 
tion, the introduction of luxuries, and innumerable other 
causes, will soon alter entirely the face of society. At 
present, Jiowever, the Texan people go on remarkably 
well, with their primitive system of administering justice. 
During the months we remained in Galveston harbour, 
there was no single instance of malicious crime — no street- 
fights — no apparent drunkenness or tumult. It is true 
that on New- Year's day, one man was shot, and doubtless 
this fact would, to those ignorant of the details, furnish a 
strong argument in favour of the popular opinion of the 
prevalence of crime in Texas. The circumstances were 
as follow ; — some children were quarrelling in the street ; — 
from words they came to blows, when their respective 
parents, who had been drinking together, thought proper 
to interfere. " I say, sir, you call your children away, 
sir." This gentle remonstrance not being dul}'' attended 
to, the speaker went forthwith for his rifle, and was in the 
act of presenting it at the head of his foe (probably only 
as a means of intimidation) when he received his death- 
wound from the other's pistol. No notice whatever was 
taken of this misdemeanour. 

Two well-known German noblemen, sent out by their 
government to report on the condition of Texas and its 
supposed advantages as a field for emigration, were tra- 
velling tlirough the country at the same time as ourselves, 
and they have given it as their opinion, that considering 
the state of the laws, no country was ever so free from 



190 TEXAS AND THE 

crime as this. The case of manslaughter I have related 
was perpetrated on a day of public rejoicing- and misrule ; 
the parties had been drinking- at one of the numerous 
bars ; their passions were excited, and the whole affair 
was tlie work of a moment. It is due to the survivor to 
add that the children of the deceased were received and 
provided for by him in the most liberal manner he could 
afford. 

I have asserted that the Texans are willing- (beyond 
most other people) to assist each other ; at the same time 
I wish not to affirm that the person who confers the benefit 
will not expect a quid pro quo in some shape or other. In 
a society such as this, where " taking- your neighbour in" 
is called smartness, and inveigling him out of some por- 
tion of his lawful property, goes by the gentle name of 
" shaving'''' him, one must not expect to meet with much 
delicacy in the arrangement of accounts between man and 
man. As a proof, however, of the rarity of thefl, even 
houses containing valuable property are left untenanted 
and unsecured, and this without any fear of their being 
entered by a marauder. 

As the city increases in size and importance, there will 
doubtless be more law, more justice, and more — crime. 
At present, in this small community, the eyes of each 
man are on his neighbour ; they unite for their common 
security, and the roicdy fellow (anglice scamp) is held in 
check by the consciousness, that should he offend, and 
shock the prejudices of society, tarring and fcatliering 
would be his portion. 

I never heard of Texan heads being submitted to the 
examination of a professor of phrenology, but I should 
imagine that the bump of invention would be found largely 
developed. A man will inform you, witli the gravest face 
in the world, that he has seen in tlie prairie a buffalo 
weighing two thousand stone ! and another, that he has 
met a Comanchee coming home from market to his wife, 
witli the legs and arms of human beings slung over his 
shoulders, to dress for supper ! 



GULF OF MEXICO. 191 

When two Texan gentlemen are eng-ag-ed in a dispute ; 
however violent may be the discussion, the courtesy of 
the " sir" is never omitted. On the contrary it is re- 
peated at every third word, and mixed up as it is with 
tlie oaths and denunciations, with which they always in- 
terlard their discourse, the effect is curious enough. They 
always end their anecdotes with " and that's a fact, sir, 
by G — ," pronounced with great energy. The manner it 
would be in vain to describe, but the more unfathomable 
the falsehood, the greater is the energy they employ in 
the utterance of these expressive words. " Seeing the 
giraffe ahead" is one of their singular but every day 
expressions. An acute Kentuckj^man giving an account 
one day to Mr. Houstoun of a speculation in which he 
had been engaged, and speaking (of course with the 
universal nasal twang) of a smart Yankee, who was 
plotting against him, and whose designs he had detected, 
wound up with " I stopt there sir — I went no fiirther — I 
saw the giraffe ahead," The origin of this quaint expression 
I was not able to discover, but they understand one 
another so perfectly, their crooked ways and their turn- 
ings and wmdings, that it is really amusing, to watch 
the progress of a game played between two able com- 
batants. I have often thought, however, that they are 
apt to overreach themselves by too much cunning. 

Every thought and every idea here resolves itself into 
money. In their getting up, and lying down, in. their eat- 
ing, drinking, and sleeping moments, in tlie home of their 
wives and children, and in the bar-room of the drinking- 
Iiouses, — dollars, and how to obtain them, seems their one 
sole and engrossing thought. Whether or not the}^ are at- 
tached to their kindred, I caimot say, but certainl}'-, to 
judge fi-om the very little time they seem to spend " in 
the bosom of their families," domestic life can have but 
slight charms for them. 

The Texan ladies generally, I fancy, lead rather 
secluded and quiet lives, and are reserved and silent. 

The society of Galveston invited us to a ball at the 



192 TEXAS AND THE 

Tremont House, and I greatly regretted not being able 
to accept the civility, but the weather was extremely 
cold, and the return to the yacht at night neither safe 
nor pleasant for a lady. Were I asked what is the 
national religion of the Texan people, I should answer 
none. ' It is true the places of public worship are more 
than sufficient, and that every one attends the ser- 
vice on Sunday, and that the religious observance of 
the Sabbath is not more neglected than it is in catholic 
countries in Europe. On the other hand, the feeling of 
devotion, and the respectful upholding of religion is 
apparently absent ; I may wrong them, and I trust I do, 
but I judge from their conversation, from the education 
of their children, and not a little from their constant 
habit of profane swearing. This renders the society of 
Americans " generally" extremely painful to those who 
are accustomed to treat the sacred name of the Deity 
with awe and respect. It is very distressing to hear 
little children practising their first powers of utterance in 
mocking their Creator, and older boys, in almost every 
class, vying with each other in taking his name in vain. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Sufferings of emigrants — Texas an advantageous field for 
settlers — Climate — Productions of the country — Disadvan- 
tages. 

Yes I have loved thy wild abode, 

Unknown, unploughed, untrodden shore ," 

Where scarce the woodman finds a road, 

And scarce the fisher plies an oar. Campbell. 

I WAS sorry to hear from Monsieur de C , that tlie 

French emigrants, who arrived at Galveston during our 
former visit, were not, as we had supposed, sent out by 



GULF OF MEXICO. 193 

the French government, but by one of their speculating 
countrjanen, and that they had ah'eady suffered conside- 
rably, from various unanticipated causes. In transporting 
so large a body of emigrants through the country, ar- 
rangements ought to have been made for their support, 
and to defray the necessary expenses of the journey. I 
confess I cannot but regret that some thousands of our 
starving population cannot be conveyed to this country. 
The colonization of New South Wales and New Zealand 
is doubtless advantageous to Great Britain, and certain 
speculative companies may derive benefit from it ; but it 
may be questioned if the same good fortune generally 
attends the poor colonists. In the latter colony, (New 
Zealand,) we have lately had a sad proof that the hard- 
ships and sufferings of the settlers are not of a trivial 
nature ; and that the difficulties with which these people 
have to contend, are not merely confined to the severe 
labour of hewing down the giant trees of the forest, and 
to the slow and wearying process of clearing land.* 
The circumstance to which I allude, is the melancholy 
fate of Captain Wakefield and his companions, who were 
not long ago destroyed by the aborigines of the country. 
It cannot be denied, that as a field for settlers, Texas 
has considerable advantages over almost every other coun- 
try. Its climate, except the lowlands, is excellent, and the 
settler has to encounter neither the extreme cold of the 
winter season, nor the scorching summer heat of the 
more Northern States of America and Canada. In the 
latter countries, also, the settler labours under the im- 
mense disadvantage of having to clear his land of the 
primeval woods, before he can hope to establish any thing 
like a farm. This is labour which he is spared in 
Texas, where the vast and productive prairies need but 
little improvement at the hands of the agriculturist. As 

* The New Zealand Company sell tlieir land at thirty 
shillings per acre. 

17 



194 TEXAS AND THE 

compared witli New South Wales and New Zealand, 
Texas has neiUier tlie poor soil, and drowths of tlie 
former, nor the liigh-priced and thickly-wooded lands of 
the latter. Lastly, Texas is within a month's or at the 
outside, six weeks' journey of England ; and by passing 
tlirough the United States, it may even be accomplished in 
twenty-four days, without dilhculty. This of itself is by 
no means a despicable advantage. 

I believe that the accounts generally given of the pro- 
ductiveness of the soil in Texas, are not exaggerated. 
Its climate, also, in the rolling country, at a distance of 
seventy or eighty miles from tlie sea, is no doubt ex- 
tremely healthy, perhaps as much so as any in the 
world ; it is also eomparativelv free trom musquitoes and 
other reptiles, Tlie lowlands, however, between the 
rolling coimtry and the sea, are, from all we could learn, 
scarcely habitable for Europeans. We certainly saw a 
few Germans, who had been settled on the banks of tlie 
Brazos, in the low country, tor five years, but tliey had 
repeatedly sutiored from tevers, though tliey were now to 
a certain extent acclimatized. A more miserable looking 
set of objects I never beheld. Another evil, and one 
scarcely less to be dreaded than the fever, consists in tlie 
myriads of musquitoes, which are so venomous eind 
troublesome as to render existence hardly endurable. 
We were only in Texas in the winter season, and had, 
there tore, happily no opportunity of judging in our own 
persons, of the extent of the nuisance. There can be no 
doubt tJiat this low country, whose soil, however, is un- 
equalled in richness, can only be inhabited by people 
from the Southern States of America, Louisiana, Missis- 
sippi. &:c. The inliabitants of those provinces have been 
used to even more unhealthy situations than the Texan 
lowlands, and without tlie benefit of tlie constant fresh 
sea breeze, or trade wind, (as it may almost be called,) 
which blows over the latter. It has, I believe, been 
asserted, that tlie productions of this part of Texas can 



GULF OF MEXICO. 



195 



be brought forth by slave or black labour alone. This, 
however, may be disputed. 

I shall now endeavour to give some account ot tne 
productions of the country, which are, I should say, ac 
nuired by less labour than is perhaps necessary m any 
other part of the globe. This arises from the circum- 
stance of the prairie being, as one may say, already halt 
cultivated by nature. It is, generally speaking, perfectly 
level and no trees or shrubs interfere with the course of 
the plough, or the spade of the agriculturist. The soil is 
of great depth, and not a stone or even pebble can be 
discovered on turning up the earth. In the low country, 
cotton, sugar, and tobacco will be the great staples ; and, 
it is said, their quality is equal to the best that can be 
produced in any other climate. In the rolling distric 
cotton, indigo, rice, wheat, rye, barley, oats, and all 
the common vegetables of our own country grow with 
wonderful luxuriance. Wheat, it is supposed will come 
to greater perfection in the more hilly and less fertile 
district forther to the north. Here, also, the apple and 
pear trees would doubtless thrive and produce abund- 
antly ; but the climate of the southern portion of Texas 
is said to be too warm to permit the inhabitants to enjoy 
these fruits in perfection. Indigo, and that of a very fine 
quality, is found growing wild in various parts ot the 
country; grapes, peaches, and plums seem indigenous, 
and are found growing wild in the woods. There can be 
no doubt, indeed, that the soil and climate are calculated 
t« produce most of our English fruits in the greatest 
abundance; and, in addition to them, many of those 
found in more southern climes. The prairie lands every 
where afford the very finest pasture, and cannot be sur- 
passed for grazing purposes. So luxuriant is the growth 
of every kind of licrbage, that throughout the year 
cattle, grazing in the open country, are generally found 
in excellent condition; and all the care that is required 
in rearing stock, is easily obtained by employing a 
Mexican or two as herdsmen, an occupation for which 



196 TEXAS AND THE 

they are admirably fitted, and which they are said to fulfil 
with fidelity. Whilst we were in Texas, the price of an 
ox, or of a cow and calf, was five dollars, about a pound 
sterling, the dollar being valued at fi-om forty-eight to 
fifty-two pence. Horses and mules could be bought at 
from thirty to fifty dollars ; and whilst we were at 
Houston, a hundred pigs were sold at a halfpenny per 
pound weight. The mildness of the climate, and the 
fact of its not being subject to the extremes of heat and 
cold, is very favourable to the increase of stock, poultry, 
&c. One of the most experienced and sagacious men in 
the country was of opinion, that no speculation would 
answer so well in Texas as the breeding of sheep ; not 
only on account of the increasing demand for wool in the 
United States, but also to supply the wants of the settlers. 
And now having detailed many of the temptations oifered 
to European emigrants, I feel bound to mention what 
seems to me the disadvantages attending the settling in 
Texas. The first and most apparent of them, is the 
difficulty of purchasing land with a good title. It was 
the opinion of some of the cleverest lawyers in Texas, 
that the titles to three-fourths of the " located" lands in 
Texas were of a doubtful character ; not perhaps abso- 
lutely invalid, but admitting of a lawsuit. I dare say 
the attorneys themselves are generally too glad to under- 
take any case, for a chance of a share in the spoil, which 
here, as in more civilized comitries, is by no means in- 
considerable. Wood, in many parts of the country, is 
very abundant ; but I suspect that, as population in- 
creases, there will be found very frequently a want of 
this essential. Supposing the settler to have acquired his 
land in a healthy and desirable position, and to have 
made all his arrangements necessary for farming, «S6C., 
he will constantly be required, in his intercourse with his 
neighbours, (if, as is most probable, they happen to be 
Yankees,) to practise a degree of ingenuity and cunning 
in trading transactions, of which, I believe, few of our 
countrymen can boast. I heard, that owing to this do- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 197 

ficiency in the art of " shaving," nine times out of ten, 
when an English settler had done business with a 
Yankee, the substance of the confiding John Bull had 
gradually diminished, until at length, his whole means 
had found their way into the possession of his more 
experienced, but less scrupulous, neighbour. Many, 
tempted by the extremely low price of land, have been 
induced too choose " locations" far removed from the 
protection of civilized beings ; and not a few, in all pro- 
bability, have built their houses as near the river as pos- 
sible. Here, after a time, if the settler escapes the fever 
and ague, he most likely finds himself unable to endure 
the utter loneliness and solitude of his position, together 
with the hardships and deprivations necessarily attendant 
upon such a residence in the wilderness. His house is 
abandoned, and either fails into decay, or is destroyed by 
the bands of roving Indians, who are not very scru- 
pulous in regard to any flocks or herds they may chance 
to find unprotected. But it may be asked, how are these 
evils to be provided against ? I should say, easily enough. 
In the first place, settlers should be gregarious ; com- 
panionship lightens toil, and promotes a spirit of emula- 
tion : and it is the more necessary for our countrymen in 
particular, that they should settle in herds, because they 
generally have a defect in their character, which stands 
in the way of their success as settlers. This defect is 
peculiar to our middle and lower classes, and is not found 
among the Americans. The fault of which I speak, is 
the difficulty they find in adapting themselves to occupa- 
tions to which they have been unaccustomed. The 
ploughman is a ploughman only ; he cannot use the 
axe, make a fence, or perform the commonest carpenter's 
work. The carpenter, on the other hand, would be sadly 
puzzled to use the plough or spade ; and so, in like 
manner, with all. The American settler can generally 
turn his hand to any thing, and no kind of work comes 
amiss to him. After finding fault with the Yankee as a 

17* 



198 TEXAS AND THE 

neighbour, I believe this may also be said of him, that 
although he is always on the look-out for a good thing, 
and would do his utmost to overreach his neighbour, in 
what he considers fair trade, yet he will generally be 
found kindhearted, goodnatured, and willing both to 
assist and lend, if required. This I fancy is generally 
the case among early settlers, in a young country like 
this. I could find many more arguments to prove that 
English emigrants should only go to Texas in bodies, and 
then not without some one capable of directing them ; but 
tliat I think the fact must be self-evident. 



CHAPTER XX. 

Patience and perseverance indispensable to a settler in a new 
country — Story of a young emigrant's sufferings. 

Her's was ihe brow, in trials unperplexed. 

That cheer'd the sad, and tranquillized the vex'd. 

Young, innocent, on whose sweet forehead mild 

The parted ringlet shone in simplest guise. 

******** 

He was her only child. 

Campbell. 

No settler in a new country should enter upon his vo- 
cation without having on hand an immense stock of per- 
severance. Patience, under sickness and distress, is also 
another invaluable quality, the exercise of which will be 
often called for in the life of an emigrant. Let no one 
expect that his bed in the wilderness will be one of roses ; 
the charms of this wild life will, on the contrary, often be 
varied by contretemps and hardships of every description. 

I was much interested by an account I heard of a 
young emigrant, who, in the outset of his career, afforded 
a proof of the truth of my remarks. 

This settler was a young Scotchman, who, having saved 
a few hundred pounds, and seeing no " opening" in his 



GULF OF MEXICO. 199 

own country, decided upon trying his fortune in the plains 
and prairies of Texas. His knowledge consisted of some 
practical information on agricultural subjects, and on the 
price of stock, in England, and, in short, of farming de- 
tails which apply exclusively to practice in the " Old 
Country." 

M'Leod, for so I will call him, had married a pretty 
Irish girl, of tolerable connexions and good education. 
She possessed, withal, a light heart and a happy temper — 
no trifling recommendations for domestic life in the wil- 
derness. Land, as I have elsewhere observed, is tempt- 
ingly cheap far up the country ; so the Scotchman easily 
made a purchase of a considerable tract ; and he and his 
young wife, with a little helpless child, travelled by slow 
degrees, but cheerfully and full of hope, towards the 
rolling country above Washington. They had not been 
long in their new abode, when they discovered that the 
location was ill chosen. They had built their log house 
in a hollow, instead of on rising ground, Avhich is every- 
where at something less than a mile distant from the river, 
it was therefore damp and unwholesome. In short, the 
M'Leods, like many other settlers, had rashly followed 
their own ideas, and neglected to ask the advice of expe- 
rienced dwellers in the coimtry. The consequences of 
this imprudence soon made themselves apparent ; and in 
a short time M'Leod was stretched upon his bed in a low 
and lingering fever. Nora's helpfulness was now of essen- 
tial service. Strong in body, with hardy peasant nerves, 
and a genuine Irish spirit of good humour and trusting- 
ness, she nursed her sick husband, milked the cows, 
minded the house, and took care of the baby. 

Fortunately, in this rich soil and land of prolific pro- 
duce, the means of existence w^ere easily procured, at 
least for a season. Nora's stock of poultry was not easily 
exhausted, for the domestic fowls breed and rear their 
young much more frequently than in most other coun- 
tries. Of the pigs, and other animals, the same may be 
safely averred ; and thus Nora and her little family con- 



200 TEXAS AND THE 

tinued to live on. But M'Leod's was not a temporary 
malady ; week after week sped by, and he lay there still, 
a useless, powerless man. The nature of his complaint 
affected his spirits, and he seemed fast sinking into a 
state of helpless despondency. In vain did Nora, with 
her bright face, and cheerful voice, slightly indicative of 
her Hibernian origin, endeavour to console him. When 
the sick man indulged in sad prophecies of tlie poverty 
which he insisted would ere long come upon them, Nora 
would gaily repeat to him the Irish proverb, " Cheer up, 
my darling, there's a silver lining to every cloud." But 
they could not live upon smiles and cheering words ; and 
proverbs, however true, are as unprofitable as they arc 
stale. By degrees their live-stock diminished ; some 
strayed, others were shot by some wandering riflemen, 
a few fell sick, and a tribe of Indians, who were encamped 
near, did not scruple to lay their hands upon such as came 
within their reach. Happily for Nora, these Indians be- 
longed to a friendly tribe, otherwise her fear of them 
would hav^ been still greater than it was. She could not 
accustom herself to their wild and savage appearance ; 
and tJie dread seemed mutual, for the Indians seldom 
approached the abode of the white man. M'Leod had 
sunk a considerable portion of his little fortune in the 
purchase of land, stock, Slc, trusting to his own industry 
and exertions for the future support of his family. After 
a time, then, the destitution which the sick imagination 
of the poor Scotchman had so long anticipated stared 
them in the face. The wife, notwithstanding her hopeful 
spirit, began to despond ; and her husband's health grew 
daily worse. The feeling of sadness and gloom was a 
new and unaccustomed one to Nora ; so new, that at first 
the unwelcome tenant could find no abiding-place in her 
heart. She was determined, however, to hope, though she 
saw her husband's face grow paler and thinner day by 
day ; and she would obstinately look forward to better 
times, though their supply even of daily food was fast 
dwindling away, and though she saw no present means 



GULF OF MEXICO. 201 

of relief from their present distresses. Nora ceased not 
to exert herself for the support of those she loved. Night 
and day she toiled ; the garden was dug, and, in anticipa- 
tion of future wants, was sown and planted by her hand. 
Neighbours she had none ; she was alone in her troubles — 
not a friend to assist, or to advise. Notwithstanding all 
tliis, Nora still talked hopefully, still boasted of the " silver 
lining" which was to shine out of the dark cloud that 
hovered over their destinies ; but her lieart was heavy 
within her, and her bright eyes were often dimmed with 
tears. 

It was winter, and heavy rains had deluged the 
country. The log house of the M'Leods was surrounded 
by mud and wet grass ; and when, one cold bleak 
morning, Nora opened her door, and gazed for a moment 
abroad, the gloomy prospect struck a chill into her heart. 
A keen northerly wind was blowing fierce and strong ; it 
came howling through the trees, and scattering the fallen 
leaves into her face. Nora had not been in bed during 
the previous night ; alarm for her husband, and the care 
which his illness momentarily required, had afforded 
ample employment both for mind and body. On a 
sudden she heard his voice calling her name. It appeared 
to her that he spoke in a stronger tone, and she hastened 
to his bedside full of hope. Alas ! for her. She saw 
his eye lighted up by delirious fever, and to her terror, 
perceived that reason had deserted its throne ! 

With the strength lent by the fierce fever that raged 
within his veins, he raised himself from his bed, and was 
with difficulty restrained from rushing towards the door. 
His actions were violent, and he heaped bitter impreca- 
tions upon her, and upon his child. 

At this moment a sound full of horror struck upon the 
mother's ear. There was a sudden shriek, and then the 
fearful shouts of fifty savage voices burst loudly, and sud- 
denly forth, startling the echoes for miles around. And 
well did Nora recognise the feeble cry she heard. It was 
the voice of her little Jamie who had been playing in the 



202 TEXAS AND THE 

garden, in unconscious glee. Quicker than tliought, she 
sprang to the door, and gazed distractedly on the scene 
before her. Her darling was in the hands of the Indians, 
of Indians, too, whose aspect was totally unknown to 
her. In a moment she guessed the truth, and that the 
dreaded Comanchees were upon them ! In vain she 
struggled to free him ; in vain did the child hold up his 
little hands, and implore help from her, who never yet 
had been deaf to his prayers. Amidst the stunning 
sounds of the terrible war-whoop, the petted child was 
held up before his mother's eyes, and while she was 
forcibly held back, the scalping-knife did its revolting 
office ! The bright sunny curls were hung at the belt of 
the savage who performed the deed, while the boy was 
flung palpitating, and barely possessed of life at the feet 
of his parent. 

It was now Nora's turn to suffer, and another of these 
relentless savages speedily seized hold of his now un- 
resisting victim. Another moment would have decided 
her fate, when the arm of her enemy was arrested by the 
appearance of a new actor on the scene ; a gaunt form, 
who, (without any previous warning) approached the 
group, and attracted the attention of all. 

It was M'Leod, whose wild ravings could not be re- 
strained, and who with delirious unconsciousness of his 
danger, stalked in amongst them. His wild actions, and 
strange gestures sufficiently attested the wandering of his 
mind, and the Indians stood appalled. Tall warriors in 
their fierce war-paint bent their heads reverently before 
him ; and impressed with the notion of his being inspired, 
and acting under the especial protection of the Great 
Spirit, these untamed and revengeful children of the 
forest shrank awe-struck from his presence. 

Slowly and in silence they retreated, and ere another 
minute had elapsed, Nora was left alone with the husband 
who had so unconsciously saved her. 

On the ground, on the very spot, Avhere he had so lately 
played in childish glee, lay the bleeding body of the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 203 

dying child. Who can describe the feelings of the 
mother, as lifting him in her arms, she tried to hope that 
the outrage he had undergone would not prove a mortal 
injury.* Gently and tenderly she laid him on his little 
bed, and then, and not till then did she return to her 
painful task of soothing and quieting the invalid. With 
gentle w^ords she persuaded him to return to his bed, but 
even then she could not leave him for a moment. 

At intervals she heard the faint and feeble moan of her 
suffering child, but though the mother's heart was torn 
within her, she could not desert her post. Towards the 
evening the sick man became more composed, his ravings 
suddenly ceased, his eyes closed, and a deathlike calm 
spread over his features. Nora listened, but in vain for his 
breathing, she felt that he was dead, and that she was alone ; 
she did not weep, however, but sat in a state of stupid 
insensibility. She was roused from this trance of despair, 
bya sound, small and low ; but one which heard, can never 
be forgotten, — the last sound of parting breath ! It was 
small, and low, for it was the breath of a little child ; — 
the signal that its pure and innocent spirit was about to 
meet its God ! In a moment Nora was by its side, on 
her knees, imploring with wild eagerness for its young 
life, and covering its little hands, and face with kisses. 
The struggle was brief, and when the mother saw that it 
was dead she fell senseless. She recovered, she knew not 
how, and it seemed as though a fearful dream had passed 
over her. Oh that sad and terrible awakening after 
affliction ! The doubt — the fear of tlie reality — and then 

* I fear such instances of savage atrocity were not rare 
among the earlier settlers ; on the Mexican frontier espe- 
cially, and on the northern settlements, where the cruel 
tribe of the Comanchees have so much power, such horrid 
events are matter of history. Cases have been known of 
recovery after scalping, I myself saw a young man at 
Galveston, who did not appear at all the worse for the 
operation. 



204 TEXAS AND THE 

the gradual, and overwhelming belief in the worst ! Poor 
Nora felt all this, as gradually she roused herself into 
sense and life. It was all true — her child, her first, her 
only one was taken from her. She could not w^eep, hers 
was a hard tearless grief On a sudden, however, the 
thought of her husband crossed her mind, and a dim 
recollection of his last sad moments caused her to shudder 
as though body and soul were parting asunder. Me- 
chanically she rose, and approaching his bed, leant over 
what she imagined the senseless clay of him she loved. 
Her head rested on his breast, when she thought — could 
it be fancy ? that it throbbed slightly and feebly. Breath- 
lessly she listened. It was no delusion — he was alive ! 
Death had not claimed his prey, and he might yet recover. 
Poor Nora ! The eyes which were dry when heavy 
affliction struck her, overflowed in salutary drops under 
the sudden influence of joy. Her first impulse was one 
of deep and overpowering gratitude ; but her thankful- 
ness was, like her grief, silent and subdued. She sat 
down beside the bed, and patiently awaited till he should 
awake. For several hours did she watch, by her hus- 
band's side, and morning Avas again stealing over the 
sky when he awoke, and in feeble accents whispered her 
name ; his reason was restored, and Nora felt that all 
present danger was over. Hours sped by — hours spent 
by the grateful wife in ministering to his recovery. He 
was weak as an infant, and she dared not tell him of 
their loss, and that their child lay near them, a lifeless 
corpse. 

The next day, after Nora had as usual been addressing 
words of encouragement to her patient, and carefully con- 
cealing from him her own deep distresses, she was startled 
by hearing horses' footsteps approaching their abode. 
In a few minutes, a man on horseback stopped at the 
door, and without ceremony entered the house. Nora 
did not rise, for the hand of her sleeping husband was 
clasped in hers, while silent tears chased each other down 
her pale cheeks. Her baby lay unburied near, and for 



GULF OP MEXICO. 205 

her feeble husband, where was she to find the means of 
recruitm^ his exhausted strength? She had had but 
little food for many days, and how could she seek for 
more ? 

She hardly raised her head when the stranger entered, 
so absorbed was she with these melancholy reflections. 
The traveller, unconscious of her sorrows, addressed her 
with a cheerful, hearty voice, " Good morning-, marm — 
how's your man ? Ill, I do'nt doubt — these here digg-ins 
ar'nt wholesome any how — I reckon." Saying- this, the 
stranger, who was a portly man of respectable appear- 
ance, seated himself without ceremony in the chimney- 
corner. Shelter is never refused in the prairie, and to 
that he was welcome ; gladly also would Nora have set 
food in plenty before her guest. She gave him, however, 
of that which she had, and the stranger soon learned the 
almost destitute condition of his young hostess. 

The traveller possessed a kind and friendly heart, and 
a well-filled purse withal. Liking the appearance of the 
young settlers, and admiring the order and cleanliness of 
their cottage, he pitied their misfortunes, and hastened to 
procure necessaries and comforts for the desolate inhabi- 
tants of the watery prairie. Having then cheered the 
sufferers with words of hope, and seen the remains of the 
dead infant decently interred, he left them, promising to 
return. Two more weeks sped by — M'Leod had left his 
bed, and sat weak and trembling by the fire, while Nora, 
though her thoughts often wandered to the grave of her 
child, looked at him with eyes full of gratitude and hap- 
piness. Their talk was of the kind stranger, and of their 
hopes that he would soon return. And when, soon after 
this, they again savv^ his benevolqit countenance, and 
heard his loud hearty grectina-, what joy was theirs. The 
stranger was a rich landholder and cotton-grower, and 
being in want of an overseer on whom he could depend, 
he fixed upon M'Leod to fill the office. He gave his pro- 
Uges a pretty house, located in a healthy clearing, not 

18 



206 TEXAS AND THE 

many miles distant from their own property. M'Leod 
was to be a man having authority, and they had where- 
withal to live in comfort and content. When Nora en- 
tered her new habitation, leaning- on her husband's arm, 
she looked up in his face, " Ah, now Jamie," she said, 
" and did'nt I tell you there was a silver lining to every 
cloud." 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Abundance of game — Severe northers peculiar to the Gulf of 
Mexico — Gradual encroachment of land upon the sea — 
Heavy swell on the bar — Different classes of titles to land — 
Texas peculiarly adapted for breeding stock. 

Has heaven reserv'd, in pity to the poor, 
No pathless waste, or undiscover'd shore ? 
No secret island in the boundless main? 
No peaceful desert yet unclaim'd by Spain? 

Johnson. 

A FEW weeks had made a considerable difference in 
the aspect of the country. The prairie was already be- 
ginning to put on its summer mantle of flowers, and im- 
mense flocks of migratory birds were darkening the air : 
wild-fowl also, and all kinds of game, were in much 
greater abundance than Avhen we were here last. IVIr. 
Houstoun was delighted with the snipe-shooting, and he 
was tolerably successful, frequently killing ten couple in 
an hour. He was also fortunate enough to kill a very 
rare bird in the country, called by the inhabitants the 
Sand-Hill crane, which resembles the bustard very much, 
both in appearance and in flavour, but is considerably 
larger. The Sand-Hill cranes are very difficult to ap- 
proach, and only appear after two or three days of severe 
northers. 

These northers being pecilliar to the Gulf of Mexico, I 
must endeavour to describe them. They most frequently 



GULF OF MEXICO. 207 

occur after a few days of danip dull weather, and gene- 
rally about once a fortnight. Their approach is known 
by a dark bank rising on the horizon, and gradually over- 
spreading the heavens. The storm bursts forth with 
wonderful suddenness and tremendous violence, and gene- 
rally lasts forty-eight hours ; the wind after that period 
veers round to the east and southward, and the storm 
gradually abates. During the continuance of a norther, 
the cold is intense, and the wind so penetrating, it is 
almost impossible to keep oneself warm. The weather is 
generally clear, and frequently the northers are almost 
unaccompanied by rain. The tremendous hurricane that 
occurred last September, as it was described to us, is cal- 
culated to give one the impression that on some future 
day the flourishing city of Galveston may be swept away 
by the overwhelming incursions of the sea. On the occa- 
sion I have alluded to, such was the force of the winds 
and waves, that many houses were turned topsy turvy, 
and some were floated many hundred yards fi*om their 
original position. The greater part of the island was 
also under water for many days, and boats were in re- 
quest to go from one house to another. Such a storm as 
this, however, had never occurred before in the memory 
of the oldest inhabitant, and some fishermen who had 
been resident there more than twenty years, asserted that 
their previous experience presented no parallel for such a 
destructive hurricane. A stronger argument in favour of 
the city never being entirely submerged, is the fact that 
the accumulation of sand, which forms the island, con- 
tinues increasing, while it is proved beyond a doubt that 
the land is every where encroaching on the Gulf of 
Mexico. "We saw an excellent old Spanish chart of the 
coast, which was made sixty or seventy years ago, and 
on comparing it with our own we found it on all im- 
portant points remarkably accurate. The island of Gal- 
veston, however, is there represented as much smaller 
than it is at present, and Pelican Island (a large sand- 
bank in the middle of the bay) is entirely omitted. 



208 TEXAS AND THE 

There can be little doubt, from the omission of Peli- 
can Island in the chart I have referred to, and also from 
the manner in which it is known to increase in size, that 
half a century ago it was not in existence. This would 
lead to the supposition that the harbour is gradually 
filling up, but it is conjectured by many that as its limits 
decrease, the channel, probably formed by the Trinity 
river, will become deeper. The bar at its entrance is 
said to remain exactly the same, though the depth of 
water on it varies considerably according to the wind : 
after several days of very strong southerly winds, there 
is frequently as much as fifteen feet of water, and the 
depth, throughout the bay, and even up the river, is in- 
creased several feet. Vessels, however, cannot take ad- 
vantage of this circumstance during the continuance of 
the southerly winds owing to the extremely heavy swell 
on the bar, which, notwithstanding the greater depth of 
the water, materially increases the chance of a vessel's 
" bumping ;" a term the Americans use for touching on 
the sand-banks, and they seem to think nothing of it. It 
is no uncommon practice to make the crew and passen- 
gers keep constantly moving in line, from one side of the 
deck to the other, when there is not sufficient water to 
pass a bar without " rolling over" as this proceeding is 
called. We ourselves on one occasion assisted at a 
ceremony of this kind in a steamer. 

The best period for entering the harbour at Galveston 
is after a southerly wind has been blowing pretty fresh 
for some days, and is then succeeded by a norther. Ad- 
vantage should be taken, at the very commencement of the 
gale, to pass the bar (as vessels may lay over the bar with 
a northerly wind) or otherwise, one may almost say, the 
whole of the available water is blown out of the bay, and 
thus the depth on the bar is perhaps reduced to less than 
nine feet. One of the evils, arising from the hitherto un- 
settled state of the country, seems to be, that the people, 
instead of attending to their domestic affairs and agricul- 
tural pursuits, have occupied themselves (for want of 



GULF OF MEXICO. 209 

better employment) in making a superabundance of laws, 
and acts of Congress.* There are, I do not know how 
many of these volumes already published, and many of 
them are so contradictory, and admit of so many inter- 
pretations, that it is to be presumed the Texan lawyers 
will never want business. A great proportion of these 
acts of Congress relate to the land-laws. 

As I have before mentioned the difficulty in getting good 
titles to land in Texas, I shall endeavour to give some ac- 
count of the different descriptions of titles. There are of 
course various opinions on the subject, and I can therefore 
only give my own, grounded upon information received 
from those whom we considered the best authorities. 

The first titles I shall mention are those emanating 
from the Mexican government ; many of these are uncon- 
ditional and indisputable, and are undoubtedly the best 
that can be found ; there are, however, others, originating 
from the same source, but which are generally considered 
totally invalid, certain conditions having been attached to 
the grant, which were never flilfilled by the grantee, but 
this has not prevented many from setting up claims on 
the strength of these impresario or contract grants. 

The second class of titles are those emanating from the 
government of the Republic of Texas : of these there are 
various kinds, and they seem to have been granted so in. 
cautiously, and to have offered at the same time so many 
facilities for ftaud and deception that at present it is almost 
impossible to pronounce any particular one of these titles 
to be good or bad ; that is to say if it has not been also 
patented by government. 

I shall divide the titles emanating from the Republic of 
Texas into four classes. 

First. Those titles granted to all who arrived in the 
country previous to the Declaration of Independence. 

* The evils of too much legislation are also too appa- 
rent in the United States. — Editor. 

18* 



210 TEXAS AND THE 

Second. Titles granted to those wlio were actually- 
present in Texas, at the Declaration of Independence, or 
who took part in the campaign of 1836. 

Third. Titles, the headrights of colonists who have ar- 
rived in the country, and have become citizens at various 
periods, since the Declaration of Independence. 

Fourth. Titles created by the issuing of Government 
Scrip. 

Of these four classes of Texas titles, the first is probably 
the best, as it is the earliest in date. With regard to the 
second class, it is only necessary to say, that within a very 
short period, fifteen thousand individuals had each claimed, 
and taken possession of his league of land, which, by the 
Act of Congress, every person who participated in the 
struggle for independence, was entitled to. Now it is 
well known that, at the period alluded to, there were cer- 
tainly not five thousand fighting men in the whole coun- 
try ; and the fact was, that thousands of adventurers had, 
immediately after the act was passed, flocked in from the 
United States, secured titles to land under false pleas, and 
forthwith returned to America. This was easily effected 
by representing themselves as having been long in the 
country, and in the confusion which prevailed at the mo- 
ment, the imposition could not be detected. A commis- 
sion was subsequently appointed by government for the 
purpose of inquiring into the validity of these titles, and 
their number was soon reduced from fifteen thousand to 
five thousand. Those, whose claims were approved of, 
received patents for their land ; but the remaining ten 
thousand titles were pronounced utterly fraudulent. It is 
notorious, that many of these forged titles to land in Texas, 
still continue to be sold in the United States. 

The third and fourth classes of titles may both be con- 
sidered good, if the original possessor was undoubtedly 
the first to " locate on," and register the lands selected. 
There is a land-oftice for this purpose in each district, but 
from the careless and informal manner in which the regis- 
ters have sometimes been kept, and also from the frequent 



GULF OF MEXICO. 211 

change of surveyors, I am informed that it has often hap. 
pened, notwithstanding all possible precautions, that the 
same land has been surveyed, and what is called " located," 
by two or three claimants, one after another. If the titles, 
however, be patented by the government, these accidents 
are not likely to occur. To account also, in some mea- 
sure, for the numerous disputes concerning titles to land 
in Texas, I must observe, that in a country so ill surveyed, 
and frequently so deficient in landmarks, (particularly if 
the seller be dishonest,) it is not always an easy matter to 
discover the exact position of the estate which is indicated 
by the title you have purchased ; and it is by no means 
improbable that you may " squat" on some other person's 
domain, your own being perhaps some miles distant. 
The rightful owner of the land you have thus unwittingly 
appropriated, is perhaps resident at New York, and does 
not think fit to acquaint you with your mistake, till you 
have built a house, &c., or perhaps laid out the plan of a 
city. The latter proceeding being already as common in 
Texas as it is in the United States. 

I have now endeavoured to explain the difficulties 
which exist, in regard to procuring titles to land in this 
country. Many such as I have described may be pur- 
chased all over the United States, and even in London, 
but from what I could learn, all such should be abstained 
from. It must not, however, be supposed that good and 
safe titles to land are unattainable. On the contrary, 
with proper care and caution, they may be obtained in 
the country, with a good government patent, and with in- 
disputable right. I believe, too, that the money paid will 
be trifling compared with that which would be expended 
for the same purpose any where else in the world. It 
ought to be remembered, among its other advantages, that 
Texas comprises an extent of country as large as France, 
and that half its lands are still unappropriated. One of 
the evils attendant on settling in Texas, at least one that 
it has been accused of, is that " aliens'' cannot hold land 
in Texas. In regard to some land-titles, this is certainly 



212 TEXAS AND THE 

true ; but the difficulty may be entirely obviated by a 
foreigner spending six months in the country. This tri- 
fling expenditure of time, which may be very usefully em- 
ployed, confers the right of citizenship, and enables a 
stranger to hold land on the same footing as the Texan. 
It should also be added, that in the case of an alien hold- 
ing land, the only party proceeding against him would be 
the government; and such an opponent has so rarely 
started up in any country, that not much fear need be en- 
tertained on that score. Apparently no country can be 
more admirably adapted for breeding purposes, in the case 
of mules and horses, and it is supposed that it would be 
an extremely good speculation to export the latter from 
Texas, where they may be bought for thirty dollars, to 
Havanna, where their price is from two hundred and fifty 
to five hundred dollars. The passage thither occupies 
about four or five days ; and there is but little question, 
that if the Spanish government were so far to overcome 
its feelings against Mexico, as to acknowledge the inde- 
pendence of Texas, Cuba would become a great market 
for Texan produce of every kind. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

History and character of General Houston, President of Texas 
— Run for the presidency — Whittling — Discomfort of travel- 
ling in Texas. 

For forms of government let fools contest ; 

Whate'er is best administer'd is best ; 

For modes of faith, let graceless zealots fight; 

His can't be wrong whose life is in the right ; 

In faith and hope the world will disagree 

But all mankind's concern is charity; 

And all must be false that thwarts this one great end ; 

And all of God, that bless mankind, or mend. Pope. 
As we intend shortly making an excursion up the 
country, and if possible paying our respects to the cele- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 213 

brated President, General Houston, I think that a short 
account of the history and character of the latter may not 
be unacceptable. Of the talents of tliis remarkable man, 
there can, and does, exist but one opinion ; but there is, 
nevertheless, a strong party against him. From the want 
of other objects to occupy their time and attention, a large 
proportion of the people amuse themselves by abusing 
him, both in his public and private capacity. The im- 
possibility of a governor of a country pleasing and satis- 
fying all parties, is every where acknowledged ; and the 
want of national funds under w^liich the republic at pre- 
sent labours, greatly increases the difficulty. Every in- 
stance of adversity, and every deficiency of dollars, is at- 
tributed at once to the President's mismanagement or cu- 
pidity. The latter charge is so strange, and so utterly 
unfounded, that it finds but few believers. There are 
several other causes of complaint against him. The prin- 
cipal one is, his avowed dislike to going to war, which, 
in common with all people who have but little to lose, is a 
favourite pastime with the Texans. The advice of the Pre- 
sident to his countrymen, — " stay at home, gentlemen, 
look after your flocks and herds, and sow corn," — meets 
with but little sympathy from his fellow-citizens. Another 
cause of his unpopularity with the fighting party, is his op- 
position to the existence of a navy in Texas ; the President 
contending, that they have no use for ships, and that the 
support of a navy is a useless incumbrance to the republic. 
American sympathizers and loafers are objects of his espe- 
cial enmity ; and with reason, for no persons are so much to 
be feared. They are people who go about in search of 
promiscuous plunder, and it matters nothing to them, 
wliether friend or enemy falls a victim to their rapacity. 
If nothing is to be made of the Mexicans, they turn upon 
the Texans in search of prey. 

It is well known that the Mexicans, in general, are not 
well-disposed towards Santa Anna, whose military despo- 
tism is ill-calculated to conciliate their regard ; and it is 
not difficult to believe that were they left to themselves, 



214 TEXAS AND THE 

they would be friendly towards the Tcxans. As a proof 
of this, in the late campaign on the frontier, most ener- 
getic proceedings, conducted with beautiful military skill, 
were made by the Texans for the attack of Mier. Fire- 
eating parties of warlike citizens, armed and caparisoned, 
advanced simultaneously at three different points of at- 
tack, resolved to conquer or to die. What was their sur- 
prise to find that they had wasted all this valuable energy 
and courage without necessity. No opposition was made 
by the Mexicans to their entrance, but on the contrary, 
they were received in the most friendly manner, and in- 
vited to eat, drink, and refresh themselves. The return 
made by the invaders for the kindness with which they 
were treated, was ungrateful indeed. In the dead of the 
night, they commenced plundering, and appropriating to 
themselves every thing they could lay their hands on. 

These men were loafers — the dangerous and unprin- 
cipled set of people of whom General Houston is so 
anxious to free the country. One of the few respectable 
individuals who took part in the expedition told us, that 
they were heartily ashamed of being there, and, for his 
own part, he felt " dreadful small" on the occasion. But 
to return to the character of the President. Old Sam, as 
he is universally called, is, I believe, a native of Kentucky, 
and was educated for the law. He distinguished himself 
highly at the United States bar, and married an American 
lady possessed of great personal attractions. Differences 
subsequently arose between himself and his wife, the 
causes of which are not known, and as divorces are easily 
obtained in this country, where mutual irritability is 
alone sufficient to establish grounds for entire separation, 
General Houston took advantage of this facility. To 
judge from his subsequent conduct, he must have felt his 
domestic bereavement severely, and it seems to have been 
long before he recovered from its effects. In the year 
1828, in a fit of disgust and despair, as it is supposed, he 
took up his abode among a distant tribe of Indians, I be- 
lieve the Cherokees. He spent several years among them, 



GULF OF MEXICO. 215 

conforming himself to their habits, and even outdoing- 
them in some of their acts of daring and adventure. He 
is said to have taken to himself a squaw ; but let it be re- 
membered that tJiis is only hearsay evidence, and I do 
not vouch for its veracity. It is commonly related, that 
at this period of his life, and in the society of these primi- 
tive bon vivans. General Houston grew so attached to the 
dram-bottle, that the Indians bestowed on him the sobri- 
quet of "drunken Sam." Having now said all the evil, if 
such it can be called, of his character we must turn to the 
bright side. General Houston's bravery is worthy of the 
boldest days of chivalry ; his patriotism sincere and un- 
questioned, and his integrity without a stain. His talents 
as a legislator are of a high order, and should those that 
are against him succeed in electing a President who is 
opposed to him in politics, they will find him most formi- 
dable in opposition. When we consider how mainly in- 
strumental the President has been in securing their inde- 
pendence, we are the more surprised that he should have 
enemies among his own people. In the enumeration of 
his qualities, we should, however, notice, that he is caustic 
and severe ; and that his superior talents render him, per- 
haps, not sufficiently lenient to the faults and weakness of 
otliers ; circumstances which may, in some measure, ac- 
count for liis unpopularity. 

General Houston has lately married again, and his wife 
is said to be an accomplished and exemplary person. 
She possesses a great influence over the President, and uses 
it with judgment and moderation. Owing to her admi- 
rable advice, General Houston has broken through those 
habits of drinking and swearing, which were formerly 
blots on his character, and the former of which injured 
his health. He is a man of education, and, besides being 
well read in polite literature, appreciates the elegant and 
standard authors of our country. 

Whenever the President travels through the country, it 
is at the expense of the persons at whose houses he puts 
up, and whenever he makes use of a steamer he has the 



216 TEXAS AND THE 

privilege of a free passage. I believe that during his 
public career, General Houston has neither saved nor 
made a dollar ; on the contrary, he is said to be often in 
pecuniary difficulties. As a proof hov^^ convinced the 
people are of his integrity, in regard to not having 
amassed a fortune from the public funds, it may be men- 
tioned, that not long ago, being in Avant of a little tobacco, 
and not having wherewith to purchase it, he could not 
obtain credit. 

Parties are much divided, and the opinions of the people 
are showing themselves in various ways on the subject 
of the election of the next President. It is the prevailing 
topic of conversation ; indeed, it seems to me that both in 
the United States and Texas this sort of excitement is so 
popular, that no sooner is a President elected, than there 
commences all the excitement of canvassing for and 
choosing his successor. At the present moment there are 
several persons who are about to " run," as they call it, 
for the Presidency. General Houston has bitter enemies ; 
but he has likewise warm friends and partisans, who are 
among the best and most influential of the people ; it is, 
therefore, not probable that the choice of a successor in 
the government will fill upon any one inimical to him, or 
decidedly adverse to his line of policy. Without using 
any undue means to make himself popular, the President 
is courteous and polite to persons of all ranks ; and, 
though I believe a Tory at heart, makes no difference in 
his civility of manner to any parties or factions. The 
House of Assembly at Washington is open to the street ; 
it has no windows, and any one may look in who pleases. 
General Houston's greeting to the free citizens — carters, 
or blacksmiths, as the case may be — is always equally 
kind and polite. It is, " How d'ye do, Colonel ? How's 
Madam ? Bad weather for the ladies !" 

During this time, and while public business was under 
discussion, the honourable members of Congress were to 
be seen seated on candle-boxes and sugar-casks ; in short, 



GULF OF MEXICO. 217 

on any thing' they could find ; and each man was ivhit- 
tling away without intermission. 

A piece of wood is placed before each senator, who, 
were it not for this necessary precaution, would very soon, 
in common with his honourable friends, cut the table to 
pieces. No sooner is a member seated than he takes out 
his knife, and never leaves off cutting away, whether 
speaking or silent. 

A great deal, certainly, is done with wood, besides the 
national amusement of lohittling. It is invariably used 
for building ; and the celerity with which they erect 
both churches and houses, is, as I have before remarked, 
wonderful. A troop of Franconi's horses, at least their 
owners called them such, on their way from Mexico to 
the United States, were at present amusing the good citi- 
zens of Galveston by their performances. In a day, there 
was built for them quite a large temporary theatre for the 
exercise of their manoeuvres. 

Though some of the houses have a certain air of ex- 
terior neatness and decoration, yet comfort, at least do- 
mestic household comfort, is quite unknown in this 
country. The north winds blow through and through 
their paper houses, and they heed it not ; while carpets, 
well-made beds, and all such necessaries of life, are un- 
known or despised. Tlie traveller in Texas must set out 
prepared for every species of discomfort : his bed, if he 
should happen to procure one, will be disputed, or, if he 
should happen to prefer a compromise, perhaps shared, by 
some other traveller. Tlie late Charge d' Affaires of his 
French Majesty, chanced to be travelling up the country, 
in this primitive republic. He was fresh from the luxu- 
ries and agremens of a Paris life, not among the least of 
which may be reckoned the comfortable beds which are 
every where to be enjoyed. To this agreeable mode of 
existence, Texas, and its numerous inconveniences, must 
have formed a striking contrast. On arriving at one of 
the halting places at night, he retired to what he doubt- 

19 



218 TEXAS AND THE 

less imagined would be a solitary couch ; and though the 
winds of heaven were whistling through his log-built 
chamber, and the bright stars peeping through the roof, 
the fatigue of the journey soon closed his eyes in slumber. 
He had not, however, slept many minutes, when he was 
awoke by the entrance of a most formidable-looking indi- 
vidual. It was a stout Kentuckian, duly armed with 
bowie knife and pistols ; and who, while in the act of 
disencumbering himself of his upper garments, said, in a 
coarse, but not unfriendly voice, " Well, stranger, I guess 
I'll take the inside of the bed, if it's the same to you ?" 
I believe the Parisian preferred passing the night on the 
floor, to the misfortune of having a Yankee between the 
wall and his nobility. 

No innkeeper in this country would ever dream of send- 
ing away a traveller on the plea of want of room, as long 
as one bed remained in his house unoccupied, except by 
two men. It was with a perfect knowledge of the diffi- 
culties and inconveniences that awaited us, tliat we made 
up our minds to undertake an excursion up the country, 
and we were therefore prepared for all contingencies. I 
may here remark that, on a previous occasion, when I ac- 
companied Mr. Houstoun on a fishing and shooting excur- 
sion to the mainland, I could not help tliinking, how ex- 
tremely eligible is this country for railroads. As far as I 
could see, and I was told it was the same for miles, the 
horizon was only bounded by the flat, and pathless prairie. 
Oh I that such advantages of locomotion were now at 
hand ! But tlien, though unquestionably we should have 
been spared many of the small and tedious troubles of the 
route, we should also have been deprived of the pleasure 
of seeing a remarkable country in its primeval state, and 
we should also have lost in interest, what we should have 
gained in luxury and comfort. The weather was ex- 
tremely cold, and sharp northers were chilling us with 
their ungenial breath, but we were too anxious to see 
something more of the country, to be easily dissuaded 
from our purpose. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 219 

The corps diplomatique were engaged to join our party, 
and the arrangements required for the undertaking being 
few and simple, we fixed an early day, and fortliw^ith took 
our places in the steamer bound up the Buifalo Bayou to 
Houston. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Commencement of an excursion up the country — The Houston 
steamer — Her passengers — The town of Houston — Tavern 
fare at Houston — Start for the prairie. 

Give allowance to our liberal jests 
Upon their persons — 

Beaumont and Fletcher. 

Where highest woods impenetrable 

To sun or starlight, spread their umbrage broad 

And brown as evening. 

Milton. 

It was about two o'clock in the afternoon of a bright 
frosty day, that we put ourselves on board the Houston 
steamer— Captain Kelsey. She was a small vessel, and 
drew but little water, a circumstance very necessary in 
these small rivers. The American river steamers differ 
very much in appearance from those to which an Euro- 
pean eye is accustomed. They have the appearance of 
wooden houses, built upon a large raft ; there is a balcony 
or verandah, and on the roof is what is called the hurri- 
cane-deck, where g^eriiZcw en passengers walk and smoke. 
On the occasion of our taking our passage both ladies and 
gentlemen's cabin were quite full, and I therefore pre- 
ferred spending the evening in the balcony in spite of the 
cold. I had many kind offers of civility, but I could not 
help being amused at the terms in which some of them 
v/ere couched. The question addressed to me of "do you 
liquor, ma'am" was speedily followed by the production of 



220 TEXAS AND THE 

a tumbler of egg-nogg, which seemed in great request, 
and I cannot deny its excellence ; I believe the British 
Navy claims the njerit of its invention, but this is matter 
of dispute. 

We dined soon after our arrival on board and found 
every body very orderly and civil ; certainly there u^as 
a strange mixture of ranks, but this made it more 
amusing to a stranger. The ladies, during dinner, were 
v^ery silent, though the noise I had heard them making 
in their own cabin, five minutes before, was deafening. 
The supper consisted of alternate dishes of boiled oysters, 
and beef-steaks, of whicli there was plenty, and the 
latter disappeared in marvellously quick time between 
the strong jaws of the Texan gentlemen. I confess 
to preferring meat which has been kept somewhat more 
than an hour, especially in frosty weather. On one 
occasion our dinner was delayed for some time, while 
the cook went on shore and " shot a beef." 

There was fortunately water enough for us to cross 
Red Fish Bar, and we were fast steaming up Buffalo 
River. For a considerable distance from the mouth, the 
shores are low, flat and swampy, but as the stream nar- 
rowed there were high banks, and the trees were quite 
beautiful in spite of the season, which was extremely 
unfavourable to foliage and woody scenery. Such mag- 
nolias — eighty feet in height, and with a girth like huge 
forest trees, — what must they be when in full blossom ! 
There were also a great number and variety of ever- 
greens, laurel, bay, and firs, rhododendrons, cistus, and 
arbutus. It seemed one vast shrubbery ; the trees and 
shrubs grew to a prodigious height, and often met over 
the steamer, as she wound through the short reaches of 
this most lovely stream. 

It was late when I retired to my cabin, for the scene, 
lighted by a clear frosty moon, was so beautiful, and to 
me so novel, that I could not make up my mind to leave 
it. I had expected to be much annoyed by the noise of 
tiie high pressure engine ; to that, however, I soon be- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 221 

came accustomed, but, on the other hand, of all sounds 
I ever heard, that of the negro slaves carolling' out their 
nightly songs was the most dismal and unearthly. They 
were seated, some on the hurricane-deck, and others at 
their work, but all joining in the same loud, weary, 
monotonous chaunt. The young girls have generally 
beautifixl figures, and are as straight and upright as 
young pines : in the ladies' cabin especially there was 
one very pretty bright-eyed black girl, who seemed full 
of fun and good humour. 

My berth opened out of the state cabin, and as the 
only partition was a Venetian door, I could not avoid 
hearing all the conversation that was carried on by my 
neighbours. Cards and drinking constituted no incon- 
siderable part of the pleasures of the evening, but with 
all the excitement of talk, tobacco-chewing, and brandy, 
I never heard people more orderly and reasonable. Their 
talk as usual was of dollars : politics, indeed, occasion, 
ally took their turn, but the subject ceased to become 
interesting, when the pockets of the company could no 
longer be affected by the turn of affairs. There was no 
private scandal, no wit, no literature, no small-talk ; all 
was hard, dry, calculating business. I heard many 
shrewd hard-headed remarks ; the fate of their country 
was talked over as a matter of business, and one rather 
important-looking gentleman made a stump speech on 
the expediency of Texas becoming a colony of Great 
Britain ! I do not know the orator's name, but General 
or Colonel he must have been. Military titles are taken 
and given here with as little ceremony as the title of 
Count on the Continent : Mr. Houstoun sprang into a 
General at once. 

There was a Baptist preacher on board, a thin, weary- 
looking man, with a cast in his eye, which was very 
comical. He had fought for his country, and though 
now a man of peace, delighted in displaying his know- 
ledge of military matters. He was going to Houston 

19* 



222 TEXAS AND THE 

to establish a school for young gentlemen, while his 
wife was to superintend the education of their sisters. 
This he said he was induced to do, that his boys might 
not mix with their inferiors ; he could not bear, he added, 
that his sons should be acquainted with vulgar boys, 
which they were obliged to do at Galveston, but he 
didn't like it, and now at his school, he could choose the 
boys ! Exclusiveness here ! Where shall we look for a 
country where the real charitable feelings of equality 
exist ? I may remark that my maid was obliged to wait 
till all these people had done their meals, because, I was 
told, they did not like her to eat at tlie same table. Strange 
inconsistency ! but one that suflicicntly shows the futility 
of any attempt to introduce a perfect system of equality 
in any country. It exists in America but in name. 

I shall not easily forget the night I passed on the Buf- 
falo river ; there was card-playing going on in both cabins, 
and occasionally I heard a card put down with a smart 
slap, and then " I guess now, that's the way to do busi- 
ness," and from another "now sir, I've made an operation 
I expect." In the ladies' cabin, where a few favoured in- 
dividuals of the other sex had the good fortune to be ad- 
mitted, it was " ah Miss Delia, I see the giraffe ahead, I 
do." And then a young gentleman played " Auld lang 
syne" with variations on the violin, followed by "The 
boatie rows," sung with tremendous applause by a young 
Scotchman with a fine bass voice, which would have been 
too much for Westminster Abbey. 

At seven o'clock in the morning we arrived at the pretty 
town of Houston ; it is built on high land, and the banks, 
which are covered with evergreens, rise abruptly from the 
river. There are plenty of inns at Houston, such as they 
are, and we took up our quarters at the " Houston 
House," a large shambling wooden building, kept by a 
Captain or Colonel Baldwin, one of the most civil, obliging 
people I ever saw. We had a sitting-room which was 
weather-proof, though to keep out the intense cold was 
impossible. It was said that our landlord was anxious to 



GULF OF MEXICO. 223 

add to the comforts of his house, but he had a great many 
bad debts ; it was, he told us, a losing concern altogether ; 
more went out than came in, and only that morning, 
having asked a gentleman to pay his bill, the reply was, 

" If you come to insult me again sir, by I'll shoot 

you sir." We went down to breakfast in the public room ; 
the food consisted of tough beef-steaks, each as large as a 
good-sized dish, eggs hardly warmed through, and emptied 
over the meat, and squirrels ; each guest did not remain 
more than five minutes, and on his retiring, his place was 
immediately filled by another hungry traveller. I looked 
on in silent wonder at their extraordinary powers of mas- 
tication ; one old man in particular, in a green baize coat, 
outdid all the rest. I could not have believed any human 
being could have contrived to stow away such a cargo of 
" dry goods" in so short a time. 

The weather had by this time changed, and a cold 
sleety rain was falling. It was not promising weather 
for sport, but Mr. Houstoun was determined to try his 
luck, and the whole societe of the place kindly offered to 
accompany him on his expedition. Off they all set, on 
raw-boned high trotting horses, guns on their shoulders, 
and exhibiting every variety of strange costume. As to 
an}^ sport they had, they might as well have remained at 
home ; the only event of the day being the breaking of 
our doctor's bridle, upon which his horse ran away, and 
he was thrown, happily, however, without receiving any 
injury. Houston, proud as the Texans are of it as a city, 
docs not bear a close inspection ; there is but one brick 
house in it, and I could not quite make out what its in- 
habitants meant when they talked of it as a great city : — 
" the poetry of the coontry sir, is Houston ;" a very in- 
comprehensible panegyric certainly. 

Our dinner we had in private. The hotel was, as the 
landlord said, " in a fix," but our fare was not bad of its 
kind, there being » pork dodgers" and " dough doings," 
(corn bread) chicken fixings and sausages. Rossetta, a 
negress, with rings on every finger, waited upon us, and 



224 TEXAS AND THE 

a hideous creature she was : Jerry, too, the black porter, 
and a great thief, assisted. The tea was made in a huge 
kettle. We retired to rest fatigued enough. A piercing 
norther was blowing and whirling wildly round the 
fragile house, and forcing its way through the cracks and 
crannies, and putting out both fire and candle ; the cold 
also was more intense than any thing I ever before experi- 
enced. The whole town was in a state of excitement, for 
the Mexicans, who had recently entered Bexar, and had 
marched off all its inhabitants as prisoners, were hourl}' 
expected. During the night there was a cry that they 
were at hand, but it proved only a false alarm. We were 
disturbed too, in the course of the night by the importu- 
nities of an unfortunate man, who could not find a bed, 
and who kept knocking at all our doors, saying he was 
very cold and must come in. He was what the landlord 
called a " rowdy loafer ;" not a pleasant companion, as it 
is by these people, and by these alone (who are not Texans 
be it said) that gouging and bowie-knifing arc practised. 
Our ceiling was of canvass, and in the night wc were 
obliged to "fix" an umbrella over the bed, while I watched 
the feet of a restless cat as she wandered over our heads ; 
her paws finding their way through the holes, which time 
had worn in our sail-cloth covering. 

The prairie, as I have said, was in a very bad state for 
travelling. Roads, it is well known, there were none, and 
" plumbing the track," namely, tracing the path of former 
travellers, is at all times difficult; however, we were 
resolved to see something of the country, and therefore 
hired a wagon for the purpose, drawn by two stout 
horses, and set off, in spite of wind and weather. 

On leaving Houston, we ascended a hill so steep, as to 
seem almost impossible for a carriage, however light, to 
be drawn up it. Stumps of trees were left in the middle 
of the path, which lies through a thick forest. The trees 
are mostly evergreens, magnolias, bay, laurel, and cy- 
press, and the forest itself has the appearance of an orna- 
mental shrubbery on a gigantic scale. Notwithstanding 



GULF OF MEXICO. 225 

the severe cold, the ground was beginning to be enamelled 
with flowers. There were violets, and a small flower like 
a jessamine, but growing close to the ground : there were 
both blue and white. I saw, also, various salvias, and 
many other plants and flowers, of which, not being a 
botanist, I can give no account. It was quite gladdening, 
afl;er having been debarred so long a time from tlie sight 
of trees, to find oneself journeying through such woods as 
these. I began to think that the name of " Happy hunt- 
ing-grounds" was not misapplied. Texas signifies, in 
the Indian tongue, these endearing and happy-sounding 
words ; and I believe that those parts of the republic, 
where the Indians still abide, are the most worthy of the 
appellation. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Scenery of the prairie — Free and easy manner of the inn- 
keeper's son — Indians of Ihe Lipan tribe — Letter of condo- 
lence to the Lipans on the death of their chief 

In distant wilds, by human eye unseen 

She rears her flowers, and spreads her velvet green, 

Pure gurgling rills, the lovely desert trace, 

And waste their music on the savage race. 

Young. 

Here to the houseless child of want 
The door is open still. 

Goldsmith, 

The birds here are many and various. Cardinals, 
blackbirds with bright red Avings, mocking-birds, and 
woodpeckers of every hue, are the most common. As 
you advance into the interior, the woods become less 
thick, and the country is more open. It is, in fact, a 
prairie, slightly rolling, and diversified with frequent 
clumps of trees, so tastefully arranged by the hand of 



226 TEXAS AND THE 

nature, that you could imagine yourself in a finely-kept 
English park, where landscape-gardeners and studiers of 
the picturesque had expended their utmost skill in beau- 
tifying the scenery. Where the clumps of trees arc at a 
considerable distance from each other, I was strongly re- 
minded of some parts of Windsor Forest. We saw great 
quantities of cattle grazing, and some sheep ; these latter, 
I was told, are considered very profitable stock ; they sell 
at from three to four dollars each : and the following 
manner of preventing them from straying, struck me as 
ingenious. In the month of March, the long prairie 
grass is set on fire. Where sheep are to graze, the fire 
is confined to small patches, and as they do not roam into 
the high grass, they keep eating down that which has 
been burned, till the owner thinks it expedient to prepare 
another spot for them in a similar manner. 

At our inn, one night, the master's son, after setting 
our dinner on the table, coolly advanced his chair to the 
fire, observing it was cold, and added, " Well, Gen'ral 
now, where did you go to; tell us now; I guess you 
found it cold. You haven't fixed any game, any how." 
How surprised we should be in England at such fami- 
liarity as this ; but here, you see at once the absurdity of 
either showing or feeling annoyance, as it is evident they 
are so very far from intending incivility ; they are, more- 
over, so genuinely kind, that I, for one, felt inclined to 
take every thing as it was meant — in good part. An 
Englishman certainly feels, when he pays for his room at 
an inn, that even the landlord has no right to enter it ; 
but he must divest himself of these peculiarities here. In 
other respects, the resting-places for the night are as com- 
fortable as goodwill and hospitality can make them. It 
is often difficult to persuade the worthy host to accept 
any remuneration ; and we were told by an Englishman, 
who had been in every part of the country, that he had 
often known, when a traveller was not possessed of much 
ready cash, a good song, or a budget of news, invented or 
remembered, would be taken in payment for a night's 



/ GULF OF MEXICO. ' 227 

lodging and an ample meal. Read this, rich men, who 
live in refined and populous cities ; eat the dinner which 
has cost you as much as would have nourished a score of 
hungry wanderers ; but when you have done, reflect on 
the humble lodging in the desert, where, out of little at 
least something is given. 

About this time I made acquaintance with an Indian 
of the Lipan tribe, who came with a rabbit to sell to me. 
Some of his tribe were in a camp at no great distance. I 
was alone when he entered, and he eyed me evidently 
with fear and suspicion. Poor people, they have no rea- 
son either to like or respect the whites ; and I did not 
wonder at his suspicion, though I did at his alarm. He 
was about eighteen years old, very gipsy -looking, with an 
eye singularly wild and piercing. He was dressed like a 
hunter, with a leather pouch, cow's horn for powder, a 
knife, and a whistle. His clothing was scanty enough. 
It was a long time before he would approach me, and 
seemed to have a great dislike to allowing me to touch his 
accoutrements. He had his rabbit in his arms, and con- 
trived to make me understand, by putting up his fingers, 
that he wanted two bits, about tenpence, for it. Having" 
paid him the money, I poured out a glass of sherry, which 
I offered him, but he refused it with a look of disgust, and 
again retreated to his corner. Knowing the fondness of 
an Indian for spirits, 1 concluded he was afraid it was 
poisoned. I was right in my supposition, for immediately 
afterwards, on seeing me put my lips to the glass, he 
rushed to me, seized it from my hand, and drank it off. 
He was a good specimen of his kind, and I was very glad 
to have had this interview with him. 

The tribe of Indians to which my acquaintance be- 
longed, is not one of any importance, and their numbers 
have been much weakened by their wars with the Ca- 
manchees, of whom they are the hereditary enemies. It 
is much to be hoped that these wars with the Indians will 
be soon put a stop to in Texas. The " happy hunting- 
grounds," indeed, can never be what they once were, to 



228 TEXAS AND THE 

these poor people ; yet peace, and freedom from oppres- 
sion, they have a right to hope for, and General Houston, 
who interests himself much in their civilization and well- 
being-, has on every occasion proved himself their friend 
and protector. A meeting of the tribes vi^as to be held 
shortly, at the Wacco village, on the Brazos, situated 
about two hundred miles above Washington, for the pur- 
pose of making treaties of alliance both between tlie whites 
and among themselves. The President is to meet them 
there, and much was expected, both from his intimatq. 
knowledge of Indian habits and character, and from the 
respect in which he is held by the tribes. Some of his 
addresses to them are curious enough. I shall transcribe 
one of the latest, being a letter of condolence to the Li- 
pans, on the death of their chief. 

To the Chief of the Lipans. 

Executive Department, Washington, 
March, 26, 1843. 
My Brother, 

My heart is sad ! — A dark cloud rests upon 3'^our na- 
tion. Grief has sounded in your camp. The voice of 
Flaco is silent. His words are not heard in council. The 
chief is no more ; his eyes are closed. His heart no 
longer leaps at the sight of the buffalo ! The voices of 
your camp are no longer heard to cry, Flaco has returned 
from the chase I Your chiefs look down on the earth, 
and groan in trouble. The warriors weep — the loud voice 
of grief is heard from your women and children. The 
song of birds is silent. The car of your people hears no 
pleasant sound. Sorrow whispers in the winds. The 
noise of the tempest passes : it is not heard : your hearts 
are heavy. 

The name of Flaco brought joy to all hearts. Joy was 
on every face ! Your people were happy. Flaco is no 
longer seen in the fight : his voice is no longer heard in 
battle. The enemy no longer makes a path for his 
glory. His valour is no longer a guard for your people. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 229 

The right arm of your nation is broken. Flaco was a 
friend to his white brothers : they will not forget him. 
They will remember the red warrior : his father will not 
be forgotten. We will be kind to the Lipans. Grass 
shall not grow in the path between us. Let your wise 
men give the counsel of peace. Let your young men 
walk in the white path. The gray-headed men of your 
nation will teach wisdom. I will hold my red brothers 
by the hand. 

Thy brother, 

Sam. Houston. 

The landlord of the inn came in soon after the de- 
parture of the Indian, and " fixed the rabbit" for me, as 
he called it. This was merely putting it into a box, with 
holes in it. I kept the poor little animal some time, in 
memory of my wild acquaintance, but soon after we re- 
turned to the Dolphin he escaped, and I heard no more of 
him. We had some excellent wild turkeys up the country, 
which were much better than the tame. On the whole, 
we enjoyed our inland visit, wliich we extended in 
various directions about Houston. In regard to the sport, 
or rather in the absence of it, the gentlemen of the party 
were disappointed ; and we began to think that the quan- 
tity of game up the country, and the ease with which it 
was said to be procured, were rather overrated. The 
want of success, however, might, perhaps, be fairly attri- 
buted to the badness of the weather. 



20 



230 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Dangers of travelling in the prairie — Last evening at Houston 
— Severe frost — Return from Houston to Galveston — The 
opossum — Political conferences and discussion on the slave- 
trade — Slave-owners sufferers by its continuance. 

In a strange land 
Such things, however trivial, reach the heart, 
And thro' the heart the head, clearing away 
The narrow notions that grow up at home. 
And in their place grafting good-will to all ; 
At least I found it so. Rogers. 

The city of Houston was our head-quarters during our 
gtay up the country, and greatly did we regret that the 
state of the prairie, owing to the constant and heavy 
rains, prevented our travelling as far as Washington, , 
which city we had intended to have visited. The 
scarcity and indifference of the accommodations would 
not have deterred us from such an undertaking, but, in a 
country vt^here roads do not exist, it is difficult not to lose I 
one's way. The danger is considerably increased when 
the trail of previous travellers is obliterated by the rains, 
for, plumbing the track, the Texan term for tracing a \ 
road, is, at all times, a slow and tedious operation. Be- 
tween Houston and Washington there is a certain space 
of two miles, which, when we were in the country, was 
not traversed in less time than four hours, so deep was • 
the mire. 

The Brazos and Trinity bottoms are overflowed for^ 
weeks together in the winter season, and, in the absence j 
of causeways and bridges, are extremely difficult andj 
even dangerous to pass. In process of time, there is no] 
doubt that the banks will become raised, in a similar 



GULF OF MEXICO. 231 

manner to those of the Mississippi, and the overflowings 
of the rivers will be checked. At present, the aspect of 
the prairie, during the winter season, and the scenes 
which are occasionally acted there, are more amusing to 
a looker on, than agreeable to the parties concerned. 
Travellers are seen knee-deep in mud, and looking as 
though hopeless of rescue, and dying and dead cattle are 
interspersed among bales of cotton, which are in process 
of " hauling ;" altogether it requires a great spirit of 
enterprise to dare the dangers of the route. We may 
fairly suppose, that one of the first public works which 
the Texans will imdertake, will be to establish a canal or 
railroad, between the Brazos river and Galveston bay, in 
order to facilitate the transit of the cotton, which is now 
hauled across the country, from the Brazos to Houston. 

Our inn at Houston, though comfortable as Colonel 
Baldwin's extreme attention could make it, was cold and 
cheerless enough, and we were not sorry when the last 
evening arrived which we were to spend under its roof. 
We had our usual dinner of pork dodgers and a turkey 
fixed with sausages, varied with some dough doings, in 
the shape of puddings, the like of which I never saw be- 
fore. Our surprise at their shape and consistency caused 
great delight to Rossetta, the negress in waiting, whose 
mouth distended to twice its usual dimensions with the 
violence of her merriment. Her laughter was conta- 
gious, and our last evening at the " Houston House" 
passed off in high glee. 

We regretted very much that we were obliged to leave 
the country without being introduced to the President ; 
but, we hope, on a future occasion, to thank him in per- 
son for the gratifying messages we received from him. 

We were to leave Houston at eight o'clock in the morn- 
ing ; an arrangement which gave me much satisfaction, 
as I should thus have an opportunity of seeing a consi- 
derable part of the country which we had previously passed 
in the dark. The frost was very severe, and the inhabi- 
tants asserted that the weather was unusually cold for the 



232 TEXAS AND THE 

season of the year. They have an adage which tells them 
that no frost is ever knov/n after the blossoming of tlie 
dogwood. This season, however, was certainly an ex- 
ception ; for this pretty shrub was in full blossom, and yet 
the thermometer was four degrees below freezing point. 
The bayou is very narrow at Houston, and extremely 
winding ; some of the turns being so sharp that the steamer 
Jiad great difficulty in getting round, and frec|uently 
touched the bank, both ahead and astern. Slow, how- 
ever, as was our progress, I would have made it slower 
still, 

" The muse of inspiration played 
O'er every scene ; she walked tlie forest maze, 
And climbed the mountain ; every blooming spot 
Burned with her step, yet man regards it not." 

There was a bright sun shining above us ; and, notwith- 
standing the brisk cold air, I persisted in remamiug on 
the hurricane-deck. I was at last, however, warned of 
the danger of my position, by receiving a pretty smart 
blow from the branch of one of the trees which nearly 
met over the stream. There were beautiful shrubs grow- 
ing close to the water's edge, and down the steep acclivi- 
ties had trickled rills of water, though now frozen into 
icicles. The land was high, and interspersed with hill 
and valley on either bank ; the nearer, however, we ap- 
proached to the sea, the flatter and less pleasing the 
country appears ; gradually becoming marshy, and having 
an unhealthy appearance. 

There are quite as inany passengers on board as when 
we ascended the river, and I certainly had reason to 
dread the night and the noisy talk which followed. The 
voices of Americans are in general disagreeable and 
pitched in a high tone : this is unpleasant enough in a 
man, but when such a voice proceeds from the mouth of a 
young and pretty woman, one really feels inclined to stop 
one's ears, and refuse to hear the voice of the charmer. 
-4s to the habitual nasal twang (which before I visited the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 233 

country I thought a fable, or at least an exaggeration of 
our fault-finding countrymen), it certainly exists in great 
perfection, and I have been at some pains to discover the 
cause. The fact is, their mouths are so full of their fa- 
vourite weed, that they cannot open them to speak with- 
out disagreeable consequences, and they are therefore 
obliged to employ their noses to perform the duty. But 
enough and too much has been said on this disagreeable 
subject; and I only mention it d propos of my sleepless 
nights, on my narrow shelf in the steamer. Breakfast on 
board ; beef, and raw eggs after it, and the infallible egg- 
nogg was drank by both ladies and gentlemen. Brandy 
is given a discretion and gratis ; nobody, however, ap- 
peared to commit any excess, or seemed the least the 
worse for it. 

There was a very pretty American on board, who had 
been a bride only a fortnight; she was not nineteen years 
of age, and yet these were her second nuptials. Life is 
soon begun in this country, especially among the female 
portion of its inhabitants ; and while yet a child in years, 
the young American starts into a " dreadful ansum girl" 
at once, and the consequence of this premature start is an 
early decay of youth and beauty. 

I was tempted, after breakfast, into the ladies' cabin, 
where I remained, because I was pleased and amused by 
what was going on. The wife of the captain, who had 
more of the milk of human kindness in her composition 
than would have softened a dozen hearts in our conven- 
tional world, took great pains to teach me the art of knit- 
ting, in which she was wonderfully skilled, and I, in re- 
turn, answered her numerous questions about England. 
" Well I guess you've better thread than this in the old 
country." " Do tell now, isn't this pretty sugar ?" and 
then I told another lady (in return to some similar in- 
formation) how many children I had left at home, and 
then she wondered how I could keep away from them, 
and repeated the hon mots and accomplishments of her 

20* 



234 TEXAS AND THE 

own nursery brood till I began rather to repent of my 
temerity in venturing- among- such a loquacious society. 
" I tell you now, ma'am, my little boy always hides when 
he's told to g-o to school, and I expect it's hard work to 
find him ; he's a smart boy is Washing-ton Mirabeau, and 
that's a fact." At dinner we had pig- and parsnips, and 
the meal was, as usual, despatched in an incredibly short 
space of time. We were all much disappointed at an 
announcement which was soon after made to us, that, 
owing to the severe norther which had been blowing- for 
the last two days, the water was too low on one of the 
banks in the river to enable us to reach Galveston that 
evening. We were consequently obliged to run the ves- 
sel alongside of a sort of quay, and wait till the tide rose. 
A temporary bridge was constructed, and we all went on 
shore, some to shoot, others to visit a Colonel Morgan, 
close to whose house the vessel was lying, and some, like 
myself, to pass away time. It was extremely cold, and 
we were obliged to walk briskly to keep ourselves tolera- 
bly warm. 

Colonel Morgan's house was very pretty ; its owner 
was absent, so I went over it and took a walk in the 
grounds. The latter were well laid out, and the adjoining 
farm appeared, to my inexperienced eye, in good order ; 
some very fine sheep were grazing, and the wheat and 
barley looked very well. Mr. Houston had the good luck 
to kill an opossum, a strange-looking ugly animal, some- 
thing like a badger, with its fore-paws resembling human 
hands. When he brought the creature on board, the so- 
ciety were very anxious to have it cooked for su{>per, con- 
sidering it, as they said, " first-rate eating." 

The opossum is held in great respect by the Yankees, 
as a particularly " smart" animal. It is very difficult to 
take him, and he knows an ingenious trick or two for self- 
preservation. If he finds himself slightly wounded, and, 
after casting about in his mind, sees no other means of 
escape, he pretends to be dead, and even allows himself to 
be carried home and his supposed corpse to be thrown 



GULF OF MEXICO. ' 235 

aside. Directly he finds himself alone, he starts up and 
makes the best of his way to the woods ag-ain. This trick 
of the opossum is so well known, that when a slave is 
suspected by his employers of shamming- sickness, to 
avoid his work, he is compared to this cunning little 
beast ; " Well I guess he's coming- 'possum over us." It 
is difficult to deceive a Yankee, but the negroes often 
succeed when they pretend illness, for even as slave- 
owners, these people have hearts, and kind ones too. 

Some of the party, who remained on board, amused 
themselves with rifle-shooting, and I saw some g-ood 
specimens of Yankee skill. A duck was discovered on 
the water, at the distance of fifty yards, and a sportsman 
assured us he would take off the top of its head, at that 
distance : he quite succeeded, and the poor little bird was 
brought to us literally scalped. 

In the early part of the night I was, as usual, extremely 
amused with listening to the conversation of the acute cal- 
culators and cunning politicians that surrounded us. The 
future fate of the country, and its probable annexation to 
some other power was discussed ; but what power was it 
to be ? that was the question. France, they declared, had 
been most anxious to obtain possession of them, but her 
propositions had not exactly suited them, and the affair 
had ended. England, they seemed to think, would be the 
most eligible country on which to lean, but it was doubted, 
and that very generally, whether that power would have 
any thing to say to them. This was public talk, but we 
were privately informed by a person worthy of credit, 
that a negotiation for the sale of Texas, and to wliich he 
had been a party, had been on the point of being con- 
cluded, between America and Mexico. The latter were 
to make over Texas, for a stipulated sum, to the United 
States. The transaction, as he assured us, was all but 
concluded, and the papers required only the signatures of 
the respective presidents, when the person charged, on the 
part of the Americans, with the necessary documents ^ 
thought he might just as well do a little business on his own 



236 TEXAS AND THE 

account. Instead, therefore, of proceeding direct to Mexico, 
he betook himself to Texas to purchase land ; being induced 
to do so by the knowledge of the value to which land would 
rise, immediately on the conclusion of the sale. This 
detour was the cause of considerable delay, and, in the 
interim, events occurred which rendered the projected 
compact impossible, and altered entirely the aspect of 
affairs. 

Mixed up with these political conferences was a good 
deal of conversation on the interesting subject of the 
slave-trade. This is a very engrossing topic here, and, 
on this occasion, it gave rise to some rather violent 
speechifying. There were many greatly in favour of the 
continuance of slavery, and a few as strongly against it. 

There was one individual who spoke well in favour of 
abolition ; his reasonings were very right-minded and in- 
genious, and I admired the straightforward moral courage, 
wliich induced him to stand boldly forward in the midst 
of so many opposers, and to advocate openly the cause 
which he had espoused. 

After listening to the various arguments, for and against 
the possession of slave property, I saw no reason to change 
the opinion I had previously formed on the subject, and I 
am as much as ever convinced that the slave-owners are 
the greatest sufferers by its continuance. 

The almost absolute dominion which a slave-owner, at 
least in the plantations, possesses over his human pro- 
perty, must tend, in the abstract, to render a master ty- 
rannical, and unmerciful. It has the effect of making 
them despotic, because the human mind is so constituted 
that the possession of power is seldom used with modera- 
tion, and it cannot be doubted that harshness, and want 
of sympathy with the sufferings of others, are engendered 
by the necessity, which the furtherance of their own inte- 
rests often lays them under, of parting kindred and near 
friends. 

I am far, very far from thinking with coldness and 
apathy on the fact, that there are human beings in a 



GULF OF MEXICO. 237 

Christian land living in a state of slavery, and dark igno- 
rance. There are, however, objections oflen brought for- 
ward, which are of a most trivial nature. It is said that 
the name of slave must be bitterly galling to those who 
have the misfortune to be called by this degrading term. 
That this would be the case were the present nature and 
habits of the people such as to render them susceptible of 
much tine feeling, I cannot but agree ; but before the ne- 
groes can claim pity and sympathy on such a plea as this, 
they must have lived for years, and almost for genera- 
tions, a life of freedom and voluntary exertion. 

Again — that the slave-owner does not always follow the 
golden rule of doing to others as he would be done by, is 
true, and that it is wrong, and contrary to every right 
principle, moral and religious, to keep fellow beings in 
this degraded state, is equally so : at the same time, it 
may be asked whether the evil, as regards the slaves 
themselves, is not more nominal than real. The owner 
of a slave, when he purchases him, enters into an agree- 
ment, understood though not expressed, that his services 
will be repaid by food, lodging, and decent clothing ; that 
he will be allowed sufficient intervals of rest, and a certain 
portion of time in which he may work for himself; and 
also he may look forward to eventual independence if he 
is able to earn it, or if his own good conduct may render 
him deserving of tlie boon. The life of the slave is pro- 
tected by the laws, and his good treatment is to a certain 
degree secured by the powerful argument, that it is con- 
trary to his owner's interest to ill-use him. All this I 
believe to be true, as also the fact that young children are 
not separated from their parents. 

At present, what is the conduct of the freed slave, and 
how does he prove that he is either a happier or a better 
man, because he possesses the gift of freedom ? If there 
is any truth in the supposed degrading, and enervating 
influence of slave-owning, there is still more reason for 
believing that the forced servitude in which he is kept, 
together with the strong prejudice which exists against 



238 TEXAS AND THE 

his race and colour, render the freed slave, in his present 
state of mind, education, Slc, incapable of valuing- his 
free position properly. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Character of the negro slave — Probability of freedom being 
granted by the whites — The tariff — A city in embryo — 
Return to the yacht. 

I would not have a slave to till my ground, 
To carry me, to fan me while 1 sleep. 
And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth, 
That sinews bought and sold have ever earn'd. 

COVVPER. 

In the character of the negro slave, as in every other, 
both good and bad qualities are mixed. Courage, good- 
nature, and gratitude, they certainly possess, but they also 
are vain, revengeful, cunning, and indolent. The opinion 
is entertained by many, that their mental capacities, 
naturally, are of a very mean order. Prejudice has, I 
think, much to do with this opinion, but it is certain, that 
until circumstances shall have called forth, and the con- 
duct of the negroes themselves shall have demonstrated 
that they are capable of becoming statesmen, mathema- 
ticians, poets, or philosophers, the fact of their being on an 
equality of intellect with their white brethren will find 
but few believers. 

It is evidently the policy of the Texan slaveholders to 
keep the negroes in a state of entire ignorance and mental 
subjection, and to reduce them as nearly as possible to the 
level of brutes, by which means they hope to justify their 
own conduct towards them, and to prevent any possible 
intermingling of the black and white races. It has been 
proved that, in the south, population increases much 
faster among the blacks than among the whites, and as 



GULF OF MEXICO. 239 

the surplus population from other countries settles but 
slowly where slavery exists, it follows, that in a short time 
the negro race will greatly exceed in numbers that of the 
white men. When this takes place — if not before — the 
struggle for freedom will commence, and how it will end, 
no one can exactly foresee. The slave-owners of Texas 
would willingly make us believe that one of their main 
reasons for supporting slavery, is, because of the impossi- 
bility of employing white labour in many parts of their 
territories , yet we may fairly conclude that the real 
motive for their conduct proceeds from alarm lest the 
negroes should make an immediate, and disagreeable use 
of their freedom were it granted them. 

That they will do so at some future time, can hardly 
be doubted, and it is almost to be wondered at, that any 
government should encourage the existence of slaves, 
when they are known to be increasing in such formidable 
numbers. Unless some decisive measures are taken the 
day of reckoning must come, and in anticipation of this 
crisis, and feeling how little aid can be depended on from 
the North, the southern governments have taken pains to 
prevent as much as possible the granting of freedom in 
individual cases, and are likewise most careful in check- 
ing the entrance of free negroes into the country. As 
a proof of this fact, I may mention that when we were 
on the point of engaging at Jamaica a black man, as 
steward's mate, we were told that he would not be 
allowed to go on shore in a slave country, and that were 
he discovered on board the yacht, Mr. Houstoun would be 
obliged to become surety to a large amount that he should 
not put foot on land. 

In regard to the excuse principally alleged for con- 
tinuing slavery, — viz. that of the necessity of employing 
black labour in so hot a country as Texas, — it is affirmed 
by many sensible judges that the necessity for so doing 
is founded upon an erroneous opinion. It is true that were 
slavery abolished, the culture of land, in some parts of 
Texas would be more laborious, and perhaps less pro. 



240 TEXAS AND THE 

ductive than it is now ; but no one can believe that 
white men cannot work, or raise the produce of the 
country. In most parts of the repubhc, the climate is 
not liotter than it is in the southern countries of Europe ; 
and it is obvious that, were white labour in request, white 
men Avould work, and the country would become settled 
in an incredibly short space of time. When this ad- 
vantage, together with innumerable other benefits attend- 
ant on the abolition of slavery, (not among the least of 
which may be mentioned, the rise of Texas in the esti- 
mation of European nations,) are considered, it must be 
concluded that the blacks will ere long receive their 
freedom at the hands of their white masters. 

It appears to me, (short-sighted as I am in these mat- 
ters, and unqualified to give even an humble opinion,) that 
many of the evils attendant on freeing the blacks might 
be modified, and civil war perhaps prevented, by concilia- 
tory measures being adopted in time towards the negroes. 
They are capable of strong attachments, and though 
the work of years cannot be undone in a da}', much 
might I think be effected towards paving the way to a 
better understanding. The only effectual mode of con- 
ciliation, namely, that of admitting the negroes to the 
society of the whites, and to equal social rights, never 
(I should imagine) will be adopted, so strong is the pre- 
judice against them. Still for his own interest, as well 
as for that of his country, each man shovdd perform his 
part in the good work, and should bear in mind the 
following passage from an admirable writer on this ques- 
tion — " Whatever may be the effort of the Americans of 
the South to maintain slavery, they will not always 
succeed. Slavery, which is now confined to a single 
tract of the civilized earth, which is attacked by Chris- 
tianity as unjust, and by political economy as prejudicial ; 
and which is now conti-asted with democratic liberties, 
and the information of our age, cannot survive. By the 
choice of the master, or the will of the slave, it will 
cease ; and in cither case, great calamities may be ex- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 241 

pected to ensue. If liberty be refused to the negroes of 
the South, they will in the end seize it for themselves 
by force ; if it be given, they will abuse it ere long." 

Whilst the important discussion of the slave question 
was going on at one end of the cabin, the price of pro- 
visions and the tariff were the topics of conversation at 
the other. Every thing, as I have before said, resolves 
itself into " calculation," and I had a proof of this on 
the present occasion. One of the speakers declared that 
things in general were dearer than they used to be ; he 
detailed the different and indispensable articles of food and 
clothing, and summed up their cost ; this he called the 
expense of living. Having done this, he proceeded to 
make a bill of the items required on leaving the world ; 
there was the doctor's bill, the cofHn, the hearse, the 
burial fees, lawyer's ditto for making the will, and the 
supper after the funeral ; and he concluded with " Well, 
sir, I calculate, if living's dear in this countr}^ dying's 
dearer still." 

The negroes, I may remark, had a grand fight this 
evening, and their yells and oaths were fearful to hear. 
They were not interrupted in their pastime, nor did any 
one appear even to notice the affray. 

The battle-field of San Jacinto was pointed out to me, 
and the evolutions performed during the engagement 
described by one who had borne part in the action. The 
Texans always speak of this victory with pride and 
exultation, and they have a good right to do so. 

A fire had recently occurred in this neighbourhood, by 
which the residence of a General Baker had been de- 
stroyed, and he himself reduced to great misery. Fires 
are now very rare in this country, but a Yankee remark- 
ed " they would be more frequent when insurance offices 
were established." There are several beginnings of cities 
on this bayou ; one, in particular, I ought to mention, be- 
cause it is a good specimen of the rest. It was planned and 
begun years ago by a foreigner of the name of Pelle- 

21 



242 TEXAS AND THE 

grini ; I believe a native of Savoy. This enterprising 
individual is as mad a castle-builder, as I ever saw, and 
enthusiastic and sanguine beyond belief. We remained 
a short time, to land passengers before the city ; the plan 
embraces churches, club-houses, squares, terraces, theatres, 
and in short, all the concomitants of a great city; but 
in the mean time there exist but eight wooden houses and 
a fine sounding name. 

There was a slight accident, which happened to one of 
the engines, that delayed our arrival about two hours, 
even after we came within sight of Galveston, and it was 
late in the evening of the third day, before the steamer 
touched the upper wharf of that port. The gig was wait- 
ing for us with her crew of fine-looking English sailors, 
in their yacht-costume, each of them so clean and neat ; 
what admiration they excited as they stepped from the 
gig on board of the dirty little steamer ! — none on board 
had ever seen the smart crew of an English yacht before, 
and the sight evidently filled them with wonder. In five 
minutes we found ourselves enjoying the quiet and com- 
fort of our ocean home. One certainly never appreciates 
comforts till one loses sight of them. How often, during 
our short absence, had I sighed for the every-day luxu- 
ries to which we were accustomed on board. The decks 
never looked so white as now, and the brightly-polished 
guns and spotless paint, were in themselves, a perfect 
luxury to the sight. 

'Tis evening time, and o'er the sand, 
The starlit waves are gently swelling ; 
And not a sound is heard on land. 
Save the ship's bell, the hour telling. 

Yet, though the gloomy night-clouds veil 
Thy tapering masts, I trace the line 
Of beaut}^, and thy presence hail. 
My ocean heroine. 

Thou "Skimmer" of the untamed sea ! 
Thou fairy thing of life and light ! 



GULF OF MEXICO. 243 

Reposing 'neath the canopy 

Of the still and peaceful night. 

Soft in thy ocean-cradle sleep, 

The low wind's voice thy lullaby, 

Rest ! for well thy guardians keep 

Their watchful vigils o'er thee.' 

Sleep ! for soon their voice shall wake thee 

Once more to stem the angry tide ; 

Once more in gladsome jubilee 

The boisterous waves to ride. 

Then, bird of beauty, rest awhile ; 

Soon on the broad and boundless main, 

Leaving this lone and sea-girt isle, 

Thou'lt spread thv snow-white wings again. 

M. C. H. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

Severe norther — The rattlesnake, etc. — Humming-birds — 
Summary mode of ejecting abolitionists from Galveston — 
JNational guard — Burying-ground — Texan duel — Facility of 
obtaining a divorce — Agreeable present on the last day of 
our Slay — Good wishes to the Republic. 

'Tis not restraint on liberty 

That makes men prisoners or free, 

But perturbations that possess 

The mind, or equanimities. 

The whole world was not half so wide 

To Alexander, when he cry'd, 

Because he had but one to subdue, 

As was a paltry narrow tub to 

Diogenes; who is not said, 

For ought that ever I could read, 

To whine, put finger i'th' eye, and sob. 

Because he'd ne'er another tub. Hudibras. 

The cold wind seemed to have been still more severely 
felt here than it had been up the country, and one poor 



244 TEXAS AND THE 

man had actually died from its eiFccts. This dismal 
death, however, was not so much to be ascribed to the 
intensity of the frost, as to the extreme keenness and 
strength of the wind. The crew v/ere fortunately always 
prepared, by the sudden falling of the glass, for these 
national northers ; but if it happened that I myself had 
neglected to consult this unerring guide, I have been 
quite astonished at their arrival. I have known a calm, 
as still as death ; not a ripple on the water and not a 
murmur on the breeze ; when suddenly a sailor has ex- 
claimed " Here it comes !" and, in a moment, literally in 
the twinkling of an eye, the wind was roaring through 
the rigging, and the sea rising to a tremendous height ; 

" Remoter waves came rolling on to see 
The strange transforming mystery :" 

the schooner was tossed about at her anchorage, and the 
water fell on the bar to its lowest depth. 

The last norther, before our return, was particularly 
severe, but fortunately it left us fine spring-weather ; and 
as a proof of the power of the sun, rattlesnakes, alligators, 
and musquitoes were beginning to make their appear- 
ance. Of the former, I confess, I have a great horror, 
and I am sure if I were ever to become a " settler," I 
should not have courage to brave them, as I saw done 
by the Galveston people. In order, I suppose, to make 
one's mind easy, you are told that " the Indians" know 
an herb, which they call the " snake's master ;" I have 
no doubt that this is very consolatory to them, but I 
cannot see in what way others are benefited by their 
knowledge. " I saw a poor little Scotch terrier fall a 
victim to one of these reptiles : with all the spirit and 
valour of his race, the tiny dog rushed at his foe, 
and, careless of his master's call, returned again to the 
charge, even after having been severely bitten : he lived 
only about three hours after he had received the bite, al- 
though all kinds of remedies were tried, the most efiica- 
cious of which, we were told, was a spoonful of gun 



GULF OF MEXICO. 245 

powder, poured down the animal's throat. In the long 
grass, among which the snake was found, the children of 
one of the inhabitants were constantly in the habit of 
playing. I asked their father if he was not afraid of 
their sharing the fate of the poor terrier, and his reply 
was, " no, that they never had been bit, and that he be- 
lieved sucking the poison out of the wound, always pre- 
vented any fatal consequences." The rattlesnake cer- 
tainly does not take you unawares, for their angry vicious 
rattle is heard long before they proceed to the attack ; I 
would, however, much prefer keeping out of even hearing 
distance. The alligator's eggs were just beginning to be 
hatched, and the young reptiles came out in sunny days 
in great numbers. The alligator, however, frightful as 
he looks, is not a creature to be much afraid of, as he is 
rarely known to attack man, and is, moreover, so large 
and unwieldy that, whilst turning himself about, there is 
plenty of time to get out of his way. We took a yovmg 
one on board the yacht, about four feet long and very sa- 
vage : he did not live more than a fortnight, perhaps from 
being too much exposed to the cold. I had also a pretty 
little flying-squirrel, which I rescued in the streets of 
New Orleans from a boy who was tormenting it ; these 
creatures are very common here as pets, and mine, though 
very shy, used to come on deck to sun himself in fine 
weather. One of the most curious creatures I saw in the 
country is the " horned frog," as he is familiarly called. 
In shape, he is not very unlike the ordinary frog, but with 
the addition of a tail, about an inch and a half long ; he 
is found in marshy spots in the prairie, and is of a brown- 
ish-green colour, spotted with black ; he has horns on his 
head, which are pointed, and about half an inch in length ; 
he has also similar excrescences, though not of so great a 
length, on his back. He runs with great rapidity, and is 
altogether a most wonderful little reptile. We had two 
of these animals in our menagerie, and hoped to preserve 
them till we reached England. 

21* 



246 TEXAS AND THE 

A few days before we left Texas, we saw, to our great 
surprise, an immense fliglit of humming-birds. They 
had alighted in a small garden in the middle of the town, 
which, in default of better and sweeter flowers, was well- 
stocked with the yellow blossoms of the turnip-plant. I 
could have stood for hours looking at them. They seemed 
to be of every colour ; crimson, green, blue, and sprinkled 
with gold-dust. They darted and glanced about in the 
bright sunshine, shooting out their long slender tongues 
into the yellow flowers, and making their tiny music 
sound through the little parterre. We found it very diffi- 
cult to take them alive, and many were sacrificed in the 
attempt : I had, however, three brought to me in little 
cages, and preserved them alive for some days, feeding 
them on bread soaked in honey, which they ate greedily. 
They sat on little perches, and appeared to be much tamer 
than larger birds ; roosting at night, and eating through- 
out the day, without regard to the presence of human 
beings. They all died the deatli of pets, accident or over- 
stufiing. Poor little things, they should never have vi- 
sited the settlements ; they were too fragile, and too deli- 
cate for the contact of liuman hands. No one seemed to 
know where this fliglit of '■'■oiseaux mouches''^ came from. 
The day after their first appearance being cold and cloudy, 
they were no more to be seen, having disappeared as sud- 
denly as they came. It is strange, at what a great dis- 
tance from land, these little creatures are occasionally 
seen ; when more than two hundred miles out at sea, be- 
tween Texas and the Havanna, a humming-bird settled 
on the rigging of the Dolphin. 

As on board the steamer, we found the slave question 
the principal topic of conversation among the good citizens 
of Galveston. Many of the latter maintained, that indi- 
viduals have no right to interfere with their lawful pro- 
perty, and were so indignant with the abolitionists, that 
they banished the principal philanthropist from the city. 
The person in question was conveyed in a boat to the 
mainland, and there turned adrift to preach to the inhabi- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 247 

tants of the woods and prairies. Another, a black man, 
and by trade I believe a barber, had likewise incurred the 
displeasure of the inhabitants of Galveston, by advocating 
the cause of his race in the market-place. He declared 
his life was in danger, and pretending to be a British sub- 
ject, claimed the protection of the British minister. One 
of their own most respected townsmen did not escape their 
wrath. This person having declared himself opposed to 
the abolition of slavery, but still inclined to hear the argu- 
ments pro and con, was ordered to be silent on the subject. 
He replied, that his was a free country, where every one 
had a right to express his opinions. This right appa- 
rently was not acknowledged, for he was put into a boat 
and sent to the mainland : strange occurrences in a 
coimtry calling itself free. 

The National Guard of Galveston were kept constantly 
in battle-array, and paraded through the town. The 
guns, too, were kept in readiness to protect the town 
against the fleet which was every day expected from 
Campeachy or Vera Cruz. I cannot say that the artillery 
at the forts presented a very formidable appearance : there 
were not more than a dozen eighteen-pounders, one or two 
of which had been lying harmlessly on the sand ever since 
we had been here. In the yacht we fancied ourselves 
quite secure, concluding that the British flag would be 
treated with due respect. I had little real expectation, 
however, of seeing any thing of the Mexicans, and was 
inclined to think that the excitement would end as it had 
begun, in words. 

Our drives into the prairie were now much more agree- 
able than before. The weather was warmer, and the land 
much drier ; and there were also more living inhabitants ; 
blue-birds, cardinals, &c. We shot some pelicans, and 
afl;erwards reproached ourselves for our cruelty, for they 
were quite useless for stuffing, or any other purpose. 
There were immense flocks of curlew and plover, who 
were evidently on their passage to some other clime. The 
prairie was becoming quite gay with flowers ; in many 



248 TEXAS AND THE 

places, however, they were setting it on fire, and a very 
curious sight it was, — a sheet of fire flying rapidly befiDre 
the wind. The cactus, or prickly pear, was beginning to 
blossom ; and I expected in a few weeks I should recog- 
nise some of the glowing descriptions which travellers 
have given of the country. Alas ! I had no chance of 
realizing my anticipations, for we were soon to take our 
leave of the Gulf. The pilot had returned ; he found at 
Aransas only six feet of water on the bar, and at Mata- 
gorda seven ; he gave it as his opinion, however, that there 
were times when vessels drawing eight feet might enter 
the latter port with safety. 

The Galveston pilot fell in with the Mexicans at 
Copano ; a fortunate circumstance for him, for they gave 
him fifteen dollars for some tobacco, which had cost him 
but three. This was a good " operation," and they begged 
him to return as soon as possible, to do some more busi- 
ness, promising to purchase, on the same terms, as many 
thousand bales of tobacco as he could manage to bring. 
This circumstance shows us what the trade with Mexico 
is likely to be when peace is established. 

I shall not be surprised to hear, before any long period 
has elapsed, that the valuable mines (I believe of gold, 
silver, and copper,) which are to be found in this country, 
are worked ; to say nothing of the coal-mimes, which 
perhaps I ought to have placed first in the scale, at least 
of usefulness. When population increases, and the de- 
mand for wood, for steamers, building, &c., becomes pro- 
portionately great, this necessary article will no doubt 
also become scarce, and the working of the coal mines 
will then be a work of absolute necessity. 

Cedar is the commonest and cheapest wood here, be- 
sides being much the most useful for building purposes. 
It is very valuable in the erection of wooden piles, which 
are exposed to the action of water, as no insects or 
marine animals will adhere to it. This wood is the one 
most in use, too, for firing ; and as you pass near the 



?i 



GULF OF MEXICO. 249 

houses where tlierc are fires burning, the perfume is 
delicious. 

On my last day at Galveston, I passed near the bury- 
ing-ground, and a sad sight indeed it was ! I should not 
have been aware of its proximity, had I not perceived a 
human skull under my horse's feet ! On looking round, 
I saw many similar relics, and hurried from the spot 
with a feeling of dismay and horror, which it w^ould be 
difficult to describe. The reason for this desecration of 
the dead is as follows. The sandy soil has so little depth, 
that no sooner are the dead deposited in the ground, than 
they are denuded of their light covering, and the sea, 
which washes the limits of the burial-ground, claims its 
share of these neglected remains. The consequence is, 
that the adjoining land is actually strewed by human 
bones in every direction. 

I stood upon the place of graves ! 

There, where eternal ocean laves 

The land-bound shore. The wind's low moan 

Through the long grass was heard alone : 

Save when at intervals the sea 

Rippled in mournful melody. 

I was alone ! meet spot for thought ! 

In that deep solitude, when nought 

Reminded me of life ! Far off 

The city's tumult, and the scoff 

Of laughing crow^ds. They are forgot 

Who lie in silence here ; where not 

A stone or mound is raised to show 

Who are the dead that sleep below ! 

Whose are the bones tiiat whitening lie, 

Sad relics of mortality, 

Strew'd on the flow'ring herb, or prest 

By heedless feet ? a heartless jest 

To some ! — I look upon the sea ! 

Its waves are dancing in their glee 

And sporting bright and merrily. 



250 TEXAS AND THE 

But mark ! whose is the brainless skull, 
That, like the wreck'd and useless hull 
Of some once stately ship, floats on 
Buoyant in its emptiness ? None, 
None answer, and the lightsome wave 
Sports with the outcast of the grave. 
Now on the crescent foam it rides. 
Now 'neath the dasliing- wave it hides : 
And now it slowly onward glides ; 
Say, busy man ! Is this the end 
Of all thy labour ? To descend 
Into a nameless grave ; no tear 
Shed on th)?^ poor and lonely bier. 
Forgotten in the busy strife 
Of those w^ho were thy friends in life. 
What now thy country's cause to thee ? 
Thou reck'st not that she now is free. 
Boldly thou strove in freedom's cause ; 
High (at the murmuring applause 
Of wondering nations,) beat thy heart ; 
Now low, and hush'd, and still, and part 
Of that dear earth thou bled'st to free — 
A lesson to posterity I 

Our last act and deed before we left Galveston, was 
watering and victualling the Dolphin. A large supply 
of salted beef was taken in, which I should not have 
mentioned, but for an accident which occurred in conse- 
quence, and which gave us a good deal of uneasiness. 
During the process of stowing tlie meat, it was necessary 
to remove some of the iron ballast, and for this purpose, 
an instrument of the same metal is made use of, about a 
yard long, with a handle at one end, and a hook at the 
other. One of the men was tugging away at the handle 
of the rod, and another was lying down in the act of 
assisting him, when unhappily the iron bent slightly : 
the iron ballast immediately slipped ofli", and the man 
who held it fell backwards. The consequence was, that 



GULF OF MEXICO. 251 

the iron hook entered the eye of the unfortunate man. 
By ill luck, our doctor was on shore at the time, and did 
not return to the yacht for some hours afterwards, when 
he did not at all approve of the treatment practised by 
the Texan surgeon, who had been summoned when the 
accident happened. The agony the poor man suffered 
must have been very great ; he fainted away almost im- 
mediately, and soon became delirious. He was a long 
time on the sick list, and eventually lost the sight of his 
injured eye. 

I confess, I should not much like to trust a serious case 
in the hands of the Texan doctors. Some of them may 
be clever and well educated, but the medicines in general 
I believe to be bad, in spite of their frequent announce- 
ment as cargo, and the words, " drugs" and " chemicals" 
appended to so many of the stores. 

A death by violence had lately taken place in this 
country ; and, as the circumstances under which it oc- 
curred caused a considerable excitement, I think them 
worthy of narration, and the more so as they throw 
some light on the reputed frequency of violent deaths in 
Texas. 

A Colonel H , a mild and benevolent man, had a 

quarrel (as even the mildest men will sometimes have) 
with one of his neighbours. There was no means of ad- 
justing their differences ; and, accordingly. Colonel 

H was informed by his adversary, in the usual 

terms, that he should take an early opportunity of shooting 

him dead. Colonel H was not a particularly nervous 

man, and for some time after this pleasant announcement 
had been made, he went about, perfectly convinced, from 
the character of his foe, that he would not fail to keep it 
to the letter. After a while, however, the suspense and 
anxiety became too much for his spirits, and he resolved 
to put an end to the affair. Acting upon this resolution, 
he watched his opportunity, waylaid his adversary, and 
— mild man as he was — put a period to his existence. 
This affair, which would have been called a murder by 



252 TEXAS AND THE 

prejudiced and ill-informed historians, is after all but the' 
Texan mode of managing^ a duel ; it certainly differs 
from our way of settling a quarrel, but when all is said, 
I do not know that it is a much worse form of man- 
slaughter. 

I have omitted to mention the extreme ease with which 
divorces are obtained in Texas. During our residence 
of only a few months in the country, no less than forty 
couple were disunited, and this merely by taking an oath 
on both sides of mutual incompatibility of temper. This 
circumstance ought to be generally known ; as it may be 
of service to those similarly situated, to learn that by a 
six months' residence in Texas, they may enjoy the benefit 
of this liberating system. 

I received a present on this my last day in the repub- 
lic, which, though of little value, I prized as a proof of 
kindness of heart and good feeling. Mrs. Kelsey, the 
wife of the captain of the little Houston steamer, sent 
me a cap of her own knitting ; I had particularly ad- 
mired it when on board, and it was worked with great 
labour and skill. She looked for no return ; and the cir- 
cumstance was the more gratifying, because I had seen 
her but once, and did not expect to renew my acquaint- 
ance with her. Such things are not common in the " old 
country." 

If we set off such instances of good will as these (and 
I could mention many others) against the trifling annoy- 
ance occasioned by the apparent familiarity and w^ant of 
refinement, on the part of these young settlers, we shall 
be more satisfied with the real good we find among 
them. 

I one day heard a rough Texan, dressed like a plough- 
man, ask one of our English friends for the loan of his 
gun for a few days ; and another, trusting (and not too 
much) to his good nature, said, on another occasion, 
" well, now. Commodore, I want you to lend me your 
bedroom for a short time, if you please." It is the con- 
sciousness of their own extreme willingness to confer 



GULF OF MEXICO. 253 

similar obligations, wliich renders these people so little 
scrupulous in making somewhat exorbitant demands of 
others. 

But I must draw my Texan annals to a conclusion. 
We were, as the Yankees say, " bound to go," and to 
leave this land of free hearts and untrammelled actions, 
for one which owns a despot's sway — and for a colony 
where the broad hand of authority presses down the en- 
ergies of the people. 

Let me, before I bid adieu to the shores where we had 
so long ridden at anchor, waft good wishes to the land, 
and to its inhabitants. 

May the country " go ahead," and prosper — may wise 
men lead her counsels and brave men direct her arms — 
above all, may her financial and commercial character be 
unsullied ; then will her word be good in the Great Ex- 
change-House of Nations, and she may hope to stand 
alone* — an independent republic — a great people among 
the powers that are. 

* The opinion that Texas is incapable of standing 
without the assistance of some establislied power, is very 
prevalent, and her possible annexation to the United 
States is exciting much interest. It is to be hoped, for 
many reasons, that she may never become a portion of the 
Union ; but that event appears now to be not far off. 



22 



254 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Departure from Galveston for the Havanna — Severe gale — 
Appearance of the sea under its influence — Dangerous navi- 
gation of the Gulf of Florida — Incidents on board the yacht 
— Arrival at the Havanna — Moro Castle — The bay — Visit of 
the Spanish authorities — Dinner on shore at the Consul- 
General's — Heat of the climate — Manners, habits and 
amusements of the ladies — Visit to the Captain-General 
Valdez. 

Hail to thy face and odours, glorious sea I 
'Twere thanklessness in me to bless thee not. 

How welcomer 
Thy murmurs than the murmurs of the world ! 
Though like ihe world thou fluctuatest, ihy din 
To me is peace, ihy restlessness repose. 

Campbell. 

March 31st. — We took our pilot, Simptom, again on 
board and made sail. The men, as before, were busily 
employed in shifting' ballast. A north wind had been 
blowing for some days, but the weather was calm and 
fine ; after crossing the bar, the pilot was discharged, and 
I then really felt that I had bidden adieu to Texas. 

Gradually the low shores of Galveston receded from our 
view ; I stood on deck as long as I could catch a glimpse 
of the land, and continued my speculative reveries on her 
present and future fate, till other objects arrested my 
attention, and till the horizon was bounded only by the 
wide and quiet ocean. I entertained such disagreeable 
recollections of the September gales, that I rather dreaded 
putting to sea in March, but our master assured me that 
the vernal equinox was not at all to be dreaded, and I felt 
my courage strengthened. All this day, and the beginning 
of the next, I had reason to be satisfied with the weather 



GULF OF MEXICO. 255 

and reposed in confident belief of a pleasant and quiet 
voyage to Havanna. Alas ! for the short-sighted anticipa- 
tions of a woman I — in the afternoon of the 1st of April, 
as I was quietl}'^ eating my luncheon in the cabin, I heard 
distinct preparations for a gale, darkness crept over the 
sky, and I heard the voice of the mate, " Take in a reef in 
the fore stay-sail ;" I never liked the sound of the reefing 
process ; we always carried a great deal of sail, and I 
knew it was never reduced without absolute necessity. 
Soon after, it was " Take in another reef in the foresail, 
look alive !" the lowering of the mainsail soon followed, 
and by this time it was blowing a violent gale of wind. 
The sea, in an incredibly short space of time, had risen 
to a great height, and instead of enjoying the placid 
motion of the waves, reposing on my couch on the deck, I 
had to hold on and devote all my energies to prevent 
myself rolling about in all directions. There is certainly 
something very laughable in the efforts made by lands- 
men and women to keep themselves steady on the deck 
during a gale of wind. Our present storm, indeed, was 
really no laughing matter ; at a late hour I retired to rest, 
and continued putting up my head out of my cabin every 
five minutes to inquire how the wind was, and whether 
tliere was any chance of its abating. On such occasions 
as these, the appearance of daylight was always hailed by 
me with unwonted satisfaction ; I liked to see my situa- 
tion with my own eyes, and to have the power, at any 
moment, of applying for information to one or other of the 
crew ; of course they always comforted me with assu- 
rances that it was nothing ; — it was only blowing fresh ; 
this always reassured me, but more than all the rest, I 
rejoiced to see their cheerful faces, and to hear that they 
could joke. On the morning of the 2d of April I went 
on deck early ; it was not seven o'clock, but I had had a 
sleepless night, so I wrapped a large cloak about me, and 
staggered up to see the aspect of affairs ; and a scene of 
blank desolation it was ! The decks were wet and 
slippery with the spray ; every thing looked out of order 



256 TEXAS AND THE 

and forlorn ; the watch on deck had on their rough pilot- 
coats and southwcsters well secured under their chins, 
and were crouching' under the bulwark, to leeward, to 
avoid the constant showers of spray. The sea was of one 
dull heavy leaden hue, except where the summits of the 
huge tumbling waves were crested with a snow-white 
foam. It is one of the most fearful effects of the tremen- 
dous waves in a heavy head-sea, that your \-iew is 
bounded only by high walls of inky-looking water. 
Around and ahead the prospect is circumscribed by these 
tremendous bulwarks of the raging element, which seem 
ever on the point of engulfing you in their descent. As 
I stood on the poop, and the bowsprit pitched into the 
hollow pit of waters, it seemed almost like a perpendicular 
descent, and I closed my eyes for a moment as though all 
was over. 

Before eight o'clock, a second reef was taken in the 
fore-topsail ; there was no break in the clouds till about 
noon, wlien the sun for a moment appeared through a thin 
veil of gray. In the afternoon the weather became much 
more moderate, reefs were shaken out, and I began once 
more to feel happy and at ease. The swell, however, was 
still very heavy, and we were told was likely to continue 
so, the Gulf of Florida not being notorious for the quiet 
of its seas. 

We saw a great deal of the gulf-weed, which floated 
past us in large quantities. This sea-weed is very light 
and pretty when first taken out of the water, but it soon 
becomes shapeless, and will not bear drying. I believe a 
vast number of shipwrecks have occurred in the Gulf 
stream ; there are fearful currents and eddies, and ships 
are frequently driven out of their course. From the nar- 
rowness of the channel the sea is always in a state of 
commotion, and after the violence of the late gale, the 
waves were more fearful than ever. We were all, I mean 
the " idlers," more or less prostrated, either by internal or 

external malaise. Poor Monsieur de C was quite 

liors de combat, witli the best intentions of making a good 



GULF OF MEXICO. 257 

fight against the enemy. He never tasted food for five 
days, and to this moment I am at a loss to understand 
how he contrived to exist through such a period of inani- 
tion. As usual, we went through the ceremony of every 
meal, as regularly as if we weie on land. The cook was 
never put out by weather, and let the ship roll about as 
she would, he never made any alteration, and his entrees 
were as good and as numerous as ever. The table, which 
was a swinging one, sometimes caused a little delay in 
the consumption of the viands ; often, when on the point 
of securing a mouthful on our forks, the well-spread 
board would mount up towards the ceiling on one side, 
and we were forced to wait its pleasure before we resumed 
our meal. This was amusing enough to me, and as no 
one was very hungry at such a time, the delay did not so 
much signify ; but the noise is not to be described. I be- 
lieve the Dolphin to be (without partiality) as quiet as a 
ship can well be, but the masts and bulkheads began, after 
their long rest, like giants refreshed, to labour out their 
peculiar noises with a spirit unknown before. I was told 
it was nothing, and certainly, after the first night or two, 
I slept soundly and heard it no more. How we were 
flung about ! my swinging cot rocked to and fro like an 
insane thing, whilst I felt myself a passive victim to its 
sport. One night I found myself, with a sudden shock, 
prostrated on the deck : I had been sleeping soundly, and 
at first could not make out in the least what had happened. 
I soon, however, ascertained that the lashings of my cot had 
given way, from the constant strain upon them : luckily 
for me the bump upon the deck was not felt by my head, 
as it was the lashing at the feet that had given way. It 
was not pleasant, however, to find oneself, in the dead of 
the night, in an angle of forty-five. The occurrence re- 
called to my mind some descriptions of practical jokes, 
related by Captain Marryatt, and I thought how hard it 
was for unwary midshipmen, to be cut down at the head, 
when they least expected it ; the escape from concussion 
22* 



258 TEXAS AND THE 

of the brain must be narrow. It is to be inferred, from 
its unfrequent occurrence, that the young gentlemen in 
the navy, half a century ago, were not very susceptible 
in that organ. 

April the 3d, was rather squally, but it was only single- 
reef weather, and I did not mind it. 4th, light breezes, 
" out all reefs," delightful sound ! but it was not to last, 
and during the three following days it blew hard enough : 
the current was running very strong, and we were driven 
forty miles out of our course. I believe that nothing but 
the violence of the gale would have induced our poor pas- 
senger to come on deck ; I had not seen him for four days, 
when on a sudden he made his appearance on the com- 
panion ladder ; sickness and suffering had made sad havoc 
with his outward man, as indeed they had with most of 
us. The weather on the 8th was more moderate, and 
in the morning several sail were in sight. It was delight- 
ful to watch them, — to speculate on what they might be, 
and to feel that this stormy stage of our aquatic journey 
was so nearly at an end. At eleven o'clock a. m. the man 
at the masthead sung out " land ahead." The wind was 
S. E. half east ; the current was driving us to the east- 
ward. We gradually neared the land, and at five o'clock 
p. M. I heard tlie welcome order to clear anchors. Soon 
after we sighted Moro Castle ; the higli lands were beau- 
tiful ; once more we rejoiced in the sight of the waving 
tops of the cocoanut trees, and felt the hot sun of the 
tropics. But Ave had no time for admiration, the British 
ensign was hoisted and flowing gaily aft — the little 
schooner had passed the Moro Castle, and was sailing up 
between the closely-packed shipping in such a perfect 
manner ! She certainly excited great admiration, if we 
could judge by the faces and marked attention of those 
on board the ships through which she passed. I was 
prepared by description for the striking appearance of the 
harbour, particularly of its entrance. The Moro Castle 
is on the left, a high imposing building. On the right is 
the fort of Punteo, and the prisons built by Tacon, when 



GULF OF MEXICO. 259 

he was Captain-General of Cuba. The bay, in which 
more than one thousand ships may anclior with safety, 
opens out beyond this narrow ejitrance. Our master 
almost always made a point of taking a pilot, and this 
was one of the {ew occasions on which ho deviated from 
his rule. The yacht, after threading the mazes of this 
difficult navigation, brought up at six o'clock p, m. in seven 
fathoms water; decks were immediately cleared; and sails 
furled, and we prepared once more for a quiet life. 

There was so much to interest, and to attract attention, 
that I stood on deck absolutely staring at all the interest- 
ing objects I saw. There were ships of every nation, 
and we were soon boarded by a number of dingy-look- 
ing men from a wn'ctched-looking boat bearing the Spa- 
nish flag. The deck of the schooner was soon crowded 
by these officials, for such I supposed they were, while 
some rushed below, examining her in all directions ; 
an order was given at last tliat no more should come on 
board. They could not all have a right to board us, 
and civility evidently was not the object of their visit. 
I had been so long in democratic countries that I was 
quite rejoiced at the sight of some faint symbols of royal- 
ty. And, (I confess my weakness) the dirty crown, on 
the still more discoloured flag, was quite refi'eshing to my 
feelings. To be sure, it was but the crown of degraded 
Spain, the lowest of the monarchies of the earth, but I 
respected it nevertheless. I began almost to despair of 
being ever lefl; to ourselves. No sooner was the curiosity 
of one party satisfied than another boat-load made its 
appearance. They dispersed themselves over every part 
of the vessel, and poked their black and tanned faces into 
every hole and corner, filling our eyes and noses with 
tobacco smoke, and defiling the white decks of the Dol- 
phin with the odious consequences of their national habit. 
The fact was, tliat they could not be made to comprehend 
the nature of our craft. She was armed — tJiat was 
suspicious — but then we were evidently not a belligerent 
set — were we traders ? No — they concluded that there 



260 TEXAS AND THE 

must be concealed cargo somewhere, and consequently 
hunted about in all possible and impossible places for our 

supposed merchandise. Monsieur de C , with the 

dismal recollections of his late sufferings fresh upon him, 
remarked " I think it very natural, — of course they find 
it impossible to comprehend how any rational beings can 
be sea-sick for pleasure I" The Spaniards evidently could 
not understand it ; they shrugged their shoulders, looked 
puzzled, and with most dissatisfied faces returned to their 
boats. Then came the sharks in the shape of bum- 
boat-women, entreating and coaxing the sailors to buy 
of them ; jokes were cut as they leant over the ship's 
side, and every now and then, when some adventurous 
individual completed his purchase, it was handed up in 
triumph, and the fortunate possessor began to discuss its 
real value coolly and at leisure. My attention was di- 
verted from tliis rather amusing scene by perceiving 
an English man-of-war's boat pulling towards us. She 
contained, besides the rowers, only a midshipman, a small 
boy, who if only as a clean countryman of our own, we 
were delighted to see. He had been despatched from 
the Thunder surveying-ship. Captain Barnett, which 
was lying near, to make inquiries, and to ask if, we 
were the " Charlotte" yacht ? Having replied in the 
negative, (and it seemed that our advent had caused 
much speculation among our countrymen,) we thanked 
Captain Barnett through his envoy for some kind and 
civil offers he had made us, and our new acquaintance 
took his leave. Except the Romney, receiving-ship, the 
Thunder was the only English man-of-war then at Ha- 
vanna. After dinner, a very polite aidecamp, attended 
by a Yankee interpreter, (very boastful and very loqua- 
cious,) came to make inquiries after the health of the 
crew. The surgeon made out his statement that we 
were all tolerably well and that no immediate anxiety 
need be felt on our account ; a clean bill of health was 
therefore given us, and we were graciously allowed the 
liberty of going on shore. Early tlie next morning Mr. 



GULF OF MEXICO. 261 

Houstoun took advantag-e of the permission and called on 
Mr. Crawford, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, 
to wliom he had letters to deliver, and we had the pleasure 
of dining at his house the same afternoon. 

This was called the cool season at Havanna ; no one 
complained of heat, indeed some of the old inhabitants 
pronounced it quite temperate. I could not understand 
this, for to me it was most oppressive. We had again 
recourse to our awning, and as one proof among many, 
that our sensations did not deceive us, the fish that was 
bought alive in the market, at ten in the morning, was 
in an luieatable state at four o'clock on the same day. 
How fearful must be the heat during tlie reign of the 
yellow fever ! The healthy season is said to commence 
in November, and to last till February, so tliat I fear we 
had slightly encroached upon the limits of the yellow fever 
dominions. The dews here are remarkably heavy ; the 
deck early in the evening being quite wet, as though 
heavy rain had fallen during the day, and drops fell 
heavily from the masts and rigging. These dews are sup- 
posed to be particularly injurious to Europeans, and the 
latter should be particularly careful not to expose them- 
selves to their influence. 

It is the custom at Havanna to dine early, and a very 
sensible custom it is. The ladies remain at home during 
the heat of the day, lounging over their chocolate and ci- 
gars, or taking their accustomed siesta. When the sun 
has nearly set, their life of movement (if such it can be 
called) begins. Then it is that they enjoy their drives, 
and pay their visits of ceremony or affection. After 
dining with the Consul, Mrs. Crawford's carriages con- 
veyed the whole party to drive on the Passeo, the fashion- 
able promenade of the city. Almost the only carriage in 
use is the volante. It is a description of vehicle peculiar, 
I believe, to Cuba ; and I must, therefore, attempt a de- 
scription of it, for the benefit of those who have not had 
an opportunity of seeing it. It is in shape not unlike a 
cabriolet on extremely high wheels ; it is six or seven feet 



269 TEXAS AND THE 

in height, and the wheels are above the head of the occu- 
pant. The shafts are extremely long, and the effect is 
very light and graceful. The volante is driven by a pos- 
tilion, almost always a black, and his dress is the gayest 
that can be imagined ; gold and silver are spread with a 
lavish hand on his person, and red and blue, and every 
gay and gaudy colour is chosen for his adornment : the 
famed Postilion de Longjumeau would sink into obscurity 
and shabbiness by the side of these black performers. 
Sometimes a second horse is attached as an outrigger, 
and has a pretty effect ; this, however, is not allowed 
within the precincts of the city. Gentlemen are not oflen 
seen with ladies in the volante ; two of the latter gene- 
rally occupying the only seat, which is extremely wide. 
The rate at which the postilions drive, considering the 
narrowness of the streets, is surprising. The mules here 
are more esteemed than the horses ; they are many of 
them beautiful animals ; and I saw some of a cream co- 
lour, which I admired extremely. I believe very high 
prices are given for them ; as much as from sixty to two 
hundred pounds. I was delighted with the appearance 
both of the ladies and their showy equipages, as they as- 
sembled on the Passeo. The volante itself is much orna- 
mented with silver, and the harness is always plated, 
wherever plating can, by any possibility, be applied. The 
ladies wear the mantilla, and their costume, in their vo- 
lantes, consists (as it appeared to me almost de rigueur,) 
of white muslin decollete, with short sleeves, and neither 
gloves nor mittens. Their dark hair is always beauti- 
fully shining and well dressed ; their heads are well set 
on, and at the back hang the elegant folds of the lace 
mantilla. Every one has something to say of the surpass- 
ing beauty of the Spanish women, — their eyes ! their 
figures ! their walk I are all described as something so 
exquisite, that no women, of more northern climes, can 
venture to compete with them. 

I confess I was terribly disappointed by these far-famed 
beauties. One volante after another rolled by, and not 



GULF OF MEXICO. 263 

one tolerable face, take it altogether, had I seen. I have 
no doubt that the extreme heat of the climate, to a certain 
degree, increases the natural duskiness of their complex- 
ions ; certainly, in daylight, they were, I thought, much 
too yellow to be pleasing. By daylight, liowever, they 
are rarely to be seen ; it is at night that they are viewed 
to advantage. They all use rouge, I was told, from early 
childhood — but their black eyes, which are magnificent, 
do not require this foreign aid to make them sparkle. I 
saw some reputed beauties in the morning, and thought 
them plain ; while at night, I could not believe them to be 
the same persons, and felt inclined almost to change my 
opinion I had formed in the morning. 

The walk of the Spanish women, which is described 
as being so peculiarly graceful, I had little opportunity 
of seeing. No lady walks at Havanna : nor do they even 
descend from their volantes when on shopping expedi- 
tions : naturally indolent, this relaxing climate seems to 
deprive them of the little degree of energy which nature 
bestows on them. Their accomplishments are as limited 
as their sphere of action. They whisk about their large 
fans with surprising dexterity, and this seems to be one 
of the principal employments of their lives. They speak 
a little bad French, do a little indifferent religion, get 
through a considerable amount of flirtation, and not a 
little scandal. The evening drive on the Passeo is the 
grand event of every day ; gossip then goes on at a great 
rate ; every passer-by is scanned and scrutinized ; ap- 
pointments are made, and reputations are sneered away. 
Great care is taken during the drive, that the long white 
drapery should hang out over the step of the volante ; it 
not being etiquette for the floimcings and embroideries to 
be gathered within the carriage. I was warned of this 
by a young lady with whom I was driving, and who was 
shocked at seeing me endeavouring to save my gown 
from dust, and the contact of passing wheels. The Passeo 
de Tacon was constructed by the governor of that name,, 
and is really a most striking promenade ; there being. 



264 TEXAS AND THE 

fountains, and statues, and every thing requisite to make 
a delightful city drive : on Sundays it is crowded by 
volantes, both private and hired. Tacon made many 
improvements in Havanna and its neighbourhood. It is 
a pity that this fine colony should not oflener have wiser 
heads to direct it, and that a government better qualified, 
should not exist in the Mother Country, to choose its 
viceroy. 

In the Plaza des Armas, which is a large handsome 
square opposite the palace of the viceroy, a band of 
music plays almost nightly. The performance struck me 
as good ; but the choice of music was not made with good 
taste, at least the fancy of the captain-general, who selects 
the airs, must be a lugubrious one, to judge of the dismal 
sounds that saluted our ears. The preponderance of 
brass instruments is much too great, and I was soon glad 
to escape from the uproar, and refresh myself with an ice 
at a cafe near the Plaza. This custom of eating ices, 
which are brought to them in their volantes, is a favourite 
diversion of the Havanna ladies ; the gentlemen, mean- 
v^^hile, offer their assistance, and are rewarded with smiles, 
and meaning flicks with the ever-ready fan. 

On Thursday, Monsieur de C and Mr. Houstoun 

dined with the Captain-General Valdez, by whom they 
were received with the greatest kindness and hospitality. 
It is not etiquette for the Viceroy to receive ladies at 
dinner, nor is he himself allowed to dine with any indi- 
vidual, let his rank be what it may. I was told that the 
Viceroy did not at all enjoy the forced monotony of his 
existence ; he is unmarried, but Madame Olivar, the wife 
of the Spanish minister at Mexico, is residing with him, 
and assists in doing the honours of ffie palace. Though 
not permitted to invite ladies to dine with him, this pro- 
hibition does not extend to evening parties, and I at- 
tended several soirees there, and was glad to make the 
acquaintance of Madame Olivar, who is a delightful 
person. During some of these visits, I learned a good 
deal of the present state of Cuba — its products, and the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 265 

policy of Spain with regard to the colony. My principal 
informant was a grave, sensible old Spaniard, whose 
name, however, I have totally forgotten. He took com- 
passion on my evident want of information on the subject, 
and I felt much obliged to him. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Historical notice of Cuba — Commerce — Cruel treatment of 
slaves — Creoles — Revolt of the Matanzas — Anticipated re- 
volt of the black population — Exclusive state of society — 
" Sugar Counts" — Animals, birds, noxious insects, and rep- 
tiles — Railroad — Copper, silver, and coal mines — Splendid 
scenery — Cuba indebted for its prosperity to Viceroy Tacon 
— Plaza de Toros — The cathedral. 

Never may from our souls one truth depart, 

That an accursed thing it is to gaze 

On prosperous tyrants with a dazzled eye ; 

Nor, touched with due abhorrence of their guilt. 

For whose dire ends tears flow, and blood is spilt. 

And justice labours in extremity. 

Forget thy weakness, upon which is built, 

O wretched man, the throne of tyranny! 

Wordsworth. 

Since its discovery by Christopher Columbus, Cuba 
has frequently been a contested possession between Eng- 
land and Spain. In the year 1760, the island was con- 
firmed as a dependency of the Spanish government, and 
the Floridas were ceded to Great Britain in exchange. It 
is a rich and most valuable island ; the soil is very pro- 
ductive, and yields two and sometimes three crops of corn 
a year. Of the extreme fertility of the island, no one can 
form an idea, till, from some lofty eminence, he casts 

23 



266 TEXAS AND THE 

his eye over the beautiful aspect of its fertile plains and 
wooded hills. 

Though early in the year when I was there, the 
country was covered with sweet-smelling and beautiful 
plants, while already the shrubs and trees were filling the 
air with the perfume of their fragrant blossoms. The 
following are some of the principal articles of export. 
Sugar, rum, tobacco, cocoa, coffee, molasses, &lc. A 
great quantity of salted meat, and fish, as well as grain 
of many kinds, are imported. 

The slave-trade, as is well known, flourishes in this 
country, and to its existence may, I think, be attributed 
many of the degrading vices, and peculiar defects which 
debase the general character of the white inhabitants of 
Cuba. The Spaniards have the reputation of showing 
more kindness to their slaves than the white masters in 
other slave countries. This may be the case with the 
domestic slaves, as the black population certainly look 
particularly fat, sleek, and well fed. It was at Havanna, 
however, that I first saw the marks of stripes on the 
shoulders of a woman, and I cannot describe the effect 
that the sight produced upon me, and the horror against 
the unmanly wretches who could tlius punish a woman. 
I once witnessed in the neighbourhood of Havanna, the 
degradation of a negro slave preparatory to receiving 
punishment : he was being dragged along with a rope 
round his neck, like some refractory criminal. Similar, 
and I fear much worse instances of cruelty are, alas ! 
too frequently occurring in the plantations. 

The proportion of negroes to white men is greatly in 
favour of the former. The policy adopted in regard to 
both Creoles and negroes, is injudicious; no attempts 
being made to conciliate the good will of either. Tlie 
iron hand of military and despotic power is the only 
rule ; and were it not for that, there is no doubt but that 
this fine colony Avould soon pass from the hands of its 
present masters. No Creoles are ever employed in any 
high or honourable offices, nor are they allowed any re- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 267 

sponsibility or share in the aiFairs of government ; thus 
this numerous class of the inhabitants are rendered dis- 
affected, and ready to join in any scheme of revolt ; and, 
moreover, the Creoles are many of them possessed of 
great wealth, which causes them to be infinitely dan- 
gerous as enemies. It is said that the negro population 
are constantly on the eve of revolt, and the consciousness 
of this being probably the case, keeps the government in 
perpetual hot water. The regular troops consist of only 
ten thousand men, while there are six hundred thousand 
blacks, rendered desperate by oppression, and ready at 
any moment to turn upon their rulers. The Spanish 
government in Europe seems but little aware of the 
volcano, which is so near bursting beneath their over- 
strained and injudicious rule. 

Not long ago there was a well-ordered and nearly suc- 
cessful insurrection of the Matanzas negroes. They be- 
haved with great courage and resolution, and having 
obtained some slight advantages, they secured themselves 
in a strong position, from which they did not emerge till 
they had obtained conditions extremely favourable to them- 
selves. The authorities of Havanna are now evidently 
roused to a sense of danger, for even the word freedom 
is suppressed, and the fine national air of " Libertad," is 
not allowed to be sung. It is vain, however, to suppose 
that such precautions will prevent the silent longing for 
freedom from finding a voice among a people goaded to 
desperation by a sense of their wrongs. The coloured 
population of Cuba may be subdued and crushed for a 
time, but the smouldering fire will some day burst forth 
from the trampled ashes, and not all the power of Spain 
will be able to stay its fury. 

There are a great many natives of the Canary Islands 
here : they are said to be good, well-disposed people ; 
and, as servants, they are valued as I'aithfiil and intel- 
ligent. 

The different classes of society at Havanna, are kept, 
from all I could learn, strictly apart. There are a few 



268 TEXAS AND THE 

still remaining of the real old grandees of Spain ; indeed, 
I have heard persons well acquainted with the manners 
and habits of good old Spanish families declare, that 
such are to be found now only at Havanna. In Spain, 
(though the Mother Country,) the race is said to be ex- 
tinct. Great and unqualified contempt is felt and ex- 
pressed by these aristocratic families for the " nouveaux 
riches,''^ who, swelling with pomp and pride, lord it over 
their humbler neighbours. Many of the latter, however, 
are great landed proprietors, and slave-owners. " Sugar 
Counts" they are called ; and the epithet is remarkably 
well-chosen, as it tells, in many instances, the tale of their 
increase of fortune, and at the same time conveys an idea 
of the possibility of their titles and riches melting away 
as speedily as they have arisen. 

One of these " sugar noblemen," (his name I have for- 
gotten, but he is said to be the richest man in the island,) 
made his fortune by the importation of slaves — a licensed 
dealer in human flesh. I looked at him as a sort of mon- 
ster, when I reflected upon the vast amount of human 
suffering of which he had been the acting cause. 

The alligator, the sea-cow, and the turtle, are all found 
in the island of Cuba. The latter, however, are not nu- 
merous ; and the supply for consumption at Havanna is 
brought fi-om the island of Nassau. 

I saw birds in endless variety ; canaries, cardinals, 
nightingales, linnets, parroquets ; in short, every thing 
that can be imagined as most gay and harmonious. I 
could scarcely help fancying it the pleasant month of 
June, the air was so sweet and soft ; while the song of 
the birds filled my imagination with memories of past 
spring-times. 

" Now each creature joyes the other 
Passing happy dayes and howers. 
One birde reports unto another 
In the fall of silver showers ; 
Whilst the earth (our common mother) 
Hath her bosome deckt with flowers." 



GULF OF MEXICO. 269 

A great drawback to these spring delights, were the 
fearful number of noxious insects and reptiles ; snakes of 
the worst kind, scorpions, centipedes, and I cannot tell 
what besides. The persevering bloodthirsty musquitoes 
were already rife, but happily they did not venture much 
on board the yacht. 

A railroad has been in existence for some time in Cuba ; 
extending to a distance of fifty miles between Havanna and 
Guines. It traverses a not very level line of country, 
and there are several considerable cuts through hills, and 
also a tunnel of tolerable length. These things speak 
well for the industry and resources of the Cuba people ; 
for even a little appearance of energy shows well among 
the enervated denizens of the West Indies. Extensive 
and valuable coal mines, as well as those containing cop- 
per and silver, have been discovered in Cuba : these must 
be a source of immense wealth, and there is no want of 
ready money to work them. The railroad traverses a 
beautiful line of country, diversified with cocoa-trees, and 
innumerable other plants, unknown except within the 
tropics. We passed in our railroad-excursion through ex- 
tensive coffee and other plantations of tobacco, sugar, &c. 
The coffee-shrubs grow very prettily, and the green of the 
leaves is rich and varied. There is great charm to a 
stranger in seeing the wild growth of the pine-apple, the 
plantain, the custard-apple, and the cocoa-tree. The fruit 
hung on the dark boughs of the orange trees like 

" golden lamps in a green night." 

There were many other trees, of which I do not know 
the names, some of which were literally loaded with green 
fruit. The forests are very thick, and clear rills of water 
trickle down the mountain sides, refreshing one by the 
very sight of their coolness. 

The climate in the mountains is, I am told, healthy 
enough ; but near the coast we heard enough of its bane- 
ful effects. We were warned not to expose ourselves to 

23* 



270 TEXAS AND THH 

the influence of the moon's rays ; the influence of the 
gentle planet being supposed to be particularly dangerous, 
and to bring on attacks of the fell disease. 

The principal cities in Cuba are Havanna, St. Jago de 
Cuba, Principe, and Santa Maria de Punto. There are 
several safe ports, and good anchorages, but from the vast 
extent of rocks and shoals, the navigation outside is difli- 
cult, and often dangerous. The forts above the city are 
covered with palm-trees ; the citadel itself is very strongly 
armed, as vi^ell as the heights above the town, which are 
bristling with arms. No stranger is allowed to visit the 
arsenal, or to enter the fortifications ; admittance I be- 
lieve, being limited to the government authorities, and the 
garrison. I heard of a poor artist from a foreign land, 
who, not being aware of the prohibition, strayed with his 
colours and brushes within the works. He was not even 
challenged by the sentinel, who, without any other notice, 
fired his musquet at the poor man. Fortunately, the 
wound was not a severe one. Ofiicersof the British navy 
are especially excluded, not only from visiting the forts, 
but also from entering the ships of war. 

I have already mentioned Tacon, the governor, as one 
to whom Havanna, and indeed the island of Cuba gene- 
rally, are indebted for much of their present peace and 
prosperity. This clever and enterprising viceroy was 
sent from Spain some years since. He found the colony 
in a miserable condition; there being but few public 
works and national buildings, and those in existence being 
neglected and abused. Robbery and murder were com- 
mitted with impunity, and there were neither guardians 
of the public peace, in the shape of police, nor any laws 
by which justice could be effectually administered. All 
these evils, and many others, Tacon took upon himself to 
redress; he established an efficient police, by which of- 
fenders were kept in awe, and quiet was restored to the 
capital ; he enforced obedience to the laws, protected trade, 
and hunted out and punished the bands of robbers which 
before infested the country ; he also built large prisons 



GULF OP MEXICO. 271 

and enacted useful laws for their government and regula- 
tion. I have before said that the planting and arrange- 
ment of the public promenades was his work, but the 
most conspicuous of the adornments, to which Ilavanna 
is indebted to this indefatigable governor, is the Campo 
Militar, which is called the Square of Tacon ; it has four 
gates, one on each side of the square, to which he gave 
the name of Columbus, Cortes, Pizarro and Tacon. 

El Teatro de Tacon, as its name implies, was likewise 
erected under the late governor's auspices. It is remarka- 
bly handsome ; I should say about the size of our Hay- 
market ; and the ornamental part is in very good taste. 
The pit seats, which are usually occupied solely by gen- 
tlemen, are comfortably fitted up with arm-chairs, each 
one having a number appended to it. There is a good 
Plaza de Toros, and the bull-fights of Havanna used to be 
celebrated, though at present great complaints are made 
of the scarcity of good bulls for the arena : — the ladies 
are in despair, "the stupid beasts are so tame." The 
cathedral is well worth seeing, particularly during the 
Holy Week, when black kneeling figures are sprinkled 
over its wide pavement in all directions. The pictures it 
contains are scarcely tolerable, but there is an urn shown 
you, which contains, it is said, the remains of Columbus. 
I looked at the latter with great interest and respect, as 
the only mortal part of the great voyager, ordained by 
providence to bring into light and truth so large a portion 
of the globe. 



272 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER XXX. 

Magnificence of private houses — Ceremonies of the Holy 
Week — Entrance of H. M. ship the Illustrious, Admiral 
Sir Charles Adam — High price of provisions — Fruits — High 
rents — Good Friday — Race-course — Theatre of Tacon — 
Dance on board the flag-ship — Our last evening at Havanna. 

La faiblesse est le seul defaut que Ton ne saurait corriger. 

La Rochefoucauld. 

The private houses at Havanna, at least a great many 
of them, are magnificent. It is the custom here to leave 
all the windov^^s to the street open at night ; the living 
rooms are most commonly on the ground-floor, and the 
passer-by is of course at liberty to enjoy the sight of 
many a gay soiree and tertullia. In other towns, where 
such things and sights are unknown, a crowd would 
speedily be collected, but here the practice is so universal, 
that no one thinks, from mere motives of idle curiosity, 
of stopping to look in. Acquaintances of the house, or of 
some of the guests may occasionally peep in at the win- 
dows, in order to ascertain if any of those they would 
wish to meet are within, and if the result of the survey 
prove satisfactory, they enter without ceremony. This 
seems to me a very agreeable style of society, there are 
no formal reunions, and no person need enter a room with 
the chance of meeting a disagreeable or obnoxious per- 
son; it is, in my opinion, another great advantage, at- 
tending this easy mode of visiting, that you are not com- 
pelled to remain a moment longer in any house than you 
find it agreeable. 

Great preparations were being made for the ceremonies 
of the Holy Week ; the gaiety of the previous days being 



GULF OF MEXICO, 273 

to be replaced by the strictest mourning and gloom. Flags 
of every nation were floating in the harbour ; the gaudy 
red and yellow of the Spaniard, the French tricolour, the 
ensigns of Hamburg, Prussia, and Belgium, to say nothing 
of our own national colours, which, in true loyalty to my 
country, I ought to have placed first in the list. All these 
brilliant national colours, if belonging to catholic coun- 
tries, are, on Good Friday, lowered half-mast high ; the 
yards are canted, and the efligy of Judas Iscariot, after 
having been hung at the yard-arm, is, with every mark of 
ignominy and detestation, thrown headforemost into the 
sea. 

A few days after our arrival, our kind friends Mr. and 
Mrs. Crawford and their party, besides Captain Barnett of 
the Thunder, and a Spaniard or two, dined on board the 
yacht. Our table was spread (as usual with us in hot 
weather) on deck, under the shade of the awning. The 
Illustrious, seventy-two, bearing the flag of the Admiral 
of the station. Sir Charles Adam, was hourly expected ; 
indeed, to my great satisfaction, as I had had very little 
experience in naval matters, and looked forward quite as 
a treat to seeing a vessel of so large a size mancEuvring 
her way through the narrow channel. The approach of 
the expected ship was telegraphed during dinner, and 
shortly afterwards we saw her tall masts rounding the 
Moro Castle. The entrance to the harbour is not more 
than about three hundred yards ; and there being hardly 
any wind, the entrance of such a ship, her tacking, &,c. 
did not seem by any means an easy affair. Every thing 
else was forgotten in the interest of the sight, and in the 
anticipated pleasure of seeing more English faces in a fo- 
reign land. In spite of difficulties, the flag-ship came in 
beautifully, and came to an anchor close to the yacht. 
After dinner we went on shore to drive, and to shop. I 
went in quest of sweetmeats, which are excellent here, but 
expensive, as all articles of food are. To us, so lately ac- 
customed to the cheapness of living in Texas, the high 
prices of necessaries seemed still more remarkable. The 



274 TEXAS AND THE 

price of a very small fowl was half a dollar, and beef was 
tenpence a pound ; the mutton was better flavoured than 
the beef, which was dry and tasteless ; the vegetables were 
excellent, and in great variety. We had young potatoes, 
French beans, peas, asparagus, cauliflower, in short every 
summer vegetable which Europe produces, besides others 
peculiar to the country. The oranges and pines were de- 
licious, and the watermelons were not to be despised. 
The Zapote Mamme I did not think a bad fruit, but the 
natives eat some kinds which are really detestable. The 
guava, which makes so good a preserve, is, I think, quite 
unpleasant in a raw state, both as to taste and smell ; and 
I am far from approving the mango, though it looks so 
tempting ; there is also a purple fruit, the name of which 
I forgot, but it is any thing but delicious, and another 
equally bad, of an ugly brown colour, resembling in ap- 
pearance a potato half-baked, with its skin on. In my 
opinion, none of the fruits here are to be compared to those 
we eat in England, as I confess I prefer an apricot greatly 
to a banana, and a good pear to a custard-apple ; indeed, 
many of the fruits which are considered good in Havanna, 
would be given only to the pigs in our country. Wearing 
apparel costs more here than it does in any place I ever 
was in ; the price of long white kid gloves are two dollars, 
more than eight shillings a pair. It will be seen that the 
expenses of living in this city are not small, and I must 
wind up my items with mentioning the rent of houses — 
one of even tolerable size cannot be hired at less than 
from four to five hundred pounds a year. The washing 
of clothes costs three dollars a dozen. 

The following day we paid a visit to the Admiral on 
board the Illustrious. I was conducted over the ship ; and 
it being my first time of undergoing the like ceremony, I 
was much surprised at all I saw. I thought the heat, 
when I arrived at the midshipmen's quarters, something 
fearful ; but I suppose they soon become accustomed to it. 
We dined on board the flag-ship, and afterwards accom- 
panied the Admiral on shore to a soiree at the Captain- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 275 

General's. From the morning of the Thursday before 
Good Friday, till the evening of the Saturday following, 
the most perfect stillness reigned in the streets ; not a car- 
riage was allowed to pass through any part of the town, 
and we were consequently obliged to go on foot to the 
vice-regal residence. The distance from the landing is 
not considerable ; but in this climate all exertion is dis- 
agreeable, and I felt inclined to quarrel with any thing 
that forced me to take exercise, let it be in what shape it 
would. The military band was playing in the square, 
and mournful and tiresome airs seemed the order of the 
day. The square was crowded with people, but princi- 
pally by negroes, to whom it appeared a kind of fete day. 
They were all dressed in white, and the contrast it afforded 
to their black hands and faces was very striking. The 
Spanish ladies, however, are dressed in the gayest colours, 
as if they wished to make themselves amends for the deep 
mourning in w^hich it was de rigueur to clothe themselves 
on the morrow. As we left the palace, the city watch- 
men, who are reckoned particularly good and efficient, 
told the hour from time to time ; but with the exception of 
their warning voices, not a sound was heard to break the 
stillness of the night. 

During all this time, I spent my mornings on deck 
under the awning ; my sofa being spread where I could 
obtain the most of the refreshing breezes, of w^hicli, how- 
ever, you feel but little in the harbour. I occasionally, in 
the course of the day, received visits from my neighbours, 
and thus, in a most indolent, enervating mode of life, the 
scorching hours passed by. 

Good Friday arrived ; the guns were fired, with a dull 
heavy sound, and muffled drums with all sorts and signs 
of gloom and lamentation, were in full display. Every one 
was in black, and the churches were thronged by peniten- 
tial visitants. 

About midday, Sir Charles Adam gave us much plea- 
sure by paying the Dolphin a visit, and I greatly re- 
gretted, that owing to its being Good Friday, we were 



276 TEXAS AND THE 

prevented from receiving him with a salute and all due 
honours. 

Many strict rules, in regard to the regulation of moral 
conduct, are laid down by society here, and a great out- 
cry is raised if any unfortunate individual is so rash or so 
misguided as to break through them. As an instance of 
this — no lady is permitted by the rules of decorum to 
drive in her volante on the Passeo, without being pro- 
tected cither by a female companion, or by her own hus- 
band, and even her brother is not considered a proper 
chaperon. I suspect that there is more of outward show, 
than of real decorum, in all this vigorous straining after 
gnatlike trivialities, and I have often heard it remarked 
that neither the education of the young Spanish women, 
nor their habitual conversation, were in keeping with this 
overstrained prudery. Mothers and elder sisters are, it is 
said, in the habit of paying far too little attention to the 
moral education of the more juvenile, and female branches 
of their families ; and it not unfrequently happens, that 
topics of scandal are discussed, and reputations canvassed 
before them, the details of which are sufficient to blunt 
their moral perceptions. When it is remembered that in 
this country, girls becoine wives, and the mothers of 
families at an age when in England they would be still 
in the schoolroom, the evil of this fatal system of educa- 
tion will be seen in all its magnitude. 

Saturday. We took a drive on the railroad through 
shrubberies of coffee bushes. The rate at which we 
travelled, was not greater than ten miles an hour, and I 
could not help rejoicing that we went no faster, as other- 
wise we should have seen much less of the country, which 
is extremely picturesque. 

There is a height above the town, which it is well worth 
taking the trouble to ascend. The hill, which is very 
steep, is crowned by a fort, and the view from it, looking 
down on the city, and the surrounding country, is pano- 
ramic, and very striking. The race-course is within a 
couple of miles of tlie town ; in the course of our late drive 



GULP OF MEXICO. 277 

we paid a visit to this spot, dedicated to the gambling pro- 
pensities of the " gentlemen sportsmen" of Havanna. It is 
a good and convenient course, and we saw several fine- 
looking American horses in training. The Bishop's 
garden, which we next visited, is well worth seeing. It is 
crowded with oleanders, roses, verbenas, convolvuluses, 
and every sort of beautifiil flowers, growing in wild and 
tangled disorder, and all in full and luxuriant blossom ; the 
fire-flies at night were brilliant. The road to this paradise 
of flowers is thickly planted on both sides with guava and 
sour-sop trees, besides cocoanut trees, and palms, many 
of them loaded with green fruit. In addition to the trees 
I have mentioned, there are ebony, cedar, mahogany, and 
lignum vitee ; Indian corn too is much cultivated, and 
adds not a little to the beauty of the country. 

In the evening we dined with the British Consul, and 
met the Admiral, and a large party of naval officers. I 
ought not to omit to mention that the individual of the 
party who made the greatest impression on me, was one 
of the prettiest English girls I ever saw ; her roses had 
not yet paled under the influence of a tropical sun, and 
she was a pleasing contrast to the sallow beauties of the 
island. We remained late on shore. 

The following day being Sunday, we had hoped to 
have heard divine service performed on board the flag- 
ship, and most of the English and Protestant inhabitants 
of Havanna had assembled on board with the same ex- 
pectation ; the chaplain, however, was too unwell to 
officiate. Most of the party remained on board till the 
evening, when we again paid the Passeo a moonlight 
visit. This was the grand night for theatrical perform- 
ances at Havanna, and we went with a large party to the 
pretty theatre at Tacon. The house was crowded, and 
the performance, which, however, I thought tedious enough, 
was much applauded. There was a great deal of panto- 
mimic acting, and the scenery was remarkably good. 
The two boxes which had been secured for us would 

24 



278 TEXAS AND THE 

scarcely hold our party, and we should have been re- 
joiced, and I doubt not would many others of his ac- 
quaintance, to have taken possession of the Captain- 
General's empty box. It is not etiquette for ladies to be 
seen in it, wliich seemed to me very strange, nor do I 
understand the motives for keeping- this poor man so apart 
from the common enjoyments of life. 

There exists here a great jealousy of the English, 
among naval men, and as I have before remarked, none 
of our officers are allowed on board Spanish ships, which 
are certainly too ill-equipped, dirty, and ill-conditioned to 
bear inspection. On the evening of this day we had a 
delightful dance on board the flag-ship. There was a 
great deal of beauty present, particularly among the 

English. The Misses M , who are half Spanish, 

unite in their own persons the charms of both countries, 
the dark brilliant eyes, betraying their Spanish descent, 
while the soft, clear complexion reminds us of our coun- 
trywomen. 

It seems a strange thing to assert, that cigars are as 
difficult to procure, really good, in Havanna, as in any 
part of the world. The state of the case is this, — it is 
impossible to have good cigars unless you order them, 
and that also at a considerable period of time before they 
are required for use. It is well known how much time 
improves the flavour, and no smoker here uses them as 
fresh as they do in Europe. It is notorious, also, that the 
slaves steal the best tobacco, and make it into cigars, 
unknown to their employers ; the cigars, thus manufac- 
tured, are excellent, but high-priced and extremely diffi- 
cult to procure. 

On the Wednesday previous to our departure we ac- 
cepted an invitation to the house of the " belles of Ha- 
vanna," whom I have before mentioned ; it was a pleasant 
" tertullia ;" the windows opening into a delightfnl garden 
full of jessamine and the perfumed dhatura. Dancing 
was going on for those Avho liked it, while others, who 
in this fervid climate, preferred a state of quiescence, 



GULF OF MEXICO. 279 

were at liberty to enjoy sweet sounds and perhaps sweeter 
thoughts, in indolent repose. 

It was our last evening at Havanna, and a last evening- 
is always more or less painful and trying to one's feelings. 
We had to bid adieu to friends most kind, though lately 
foimd, and to leave a happy spot, which it is more than 
probable, we should never see again ; I do not like saying 
" good bye ;" it " sets me on end-like," as Sam Slick says. 

On our return from this scene of brilliant gaiety, I 
noticed, as our volante drove slowly through the suburbs, 
a house, the front of which was brightly lighted up ; the 
lower windows, which were so large that they in point of 
fact formed the front of the house, were wide open, and 
afforded a perfect and distinct view of the objects within. 
My curiosity was excited by seeing a raised platform 
within the room, at the lower end of which sat two men, 
in mute silence. To my surprise, for who would have 
supposed that the remains of the dead would be thus 
exposed to view, I saw on the platform the pale face of 
a corpse ; the stiffened limbs were stretched beneath a 
thin white covering, and in the next hour, the form, 
which in the morning was endued with life, was to be 
lowered into the earth. I cannot describe the effect that 
this spectacle had upon me, and how much I was struck 
by the contrast it afforded to the scene of dancing and 
merriment I had so lately quitted ; verily in the midst 
of life we are in death ! I went on board, and tried to 
forget it all, — the whirling dance and the blank face of 
the dead ! — but they hamited me all night, and I Avas 
glad when the morning came, when I was to change this 
place of varied recollections for our own wild changing 
element once more. 



280 TEXAS AND THE 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

Departure from Havanna— Bermuda— St. George's Harbour- 
Hamilton— Bermudian Population — Whale-fishing — De- 
lightful gardens— Visit to the Bishop of Newfoundland— 
The Sea Grape—" The Pride of India"— Ireland Harbour- 
Departure for England. 

But bless the little fairy isle! 
How sweetly, after all our ills, 
We saw the sunny morning smile 
Serenely o'er its fragrant hills. 

Moore. 

Friday, 20th April ; light breeze from the eastward. 
We left Havanna harbour, and passed Moro Castle at nine 
o'clock in the morning ; the flag-ship weighed anchor at 
the same time, and we promised ourselves her company 
on the voyage. The sea-breeze at Havanna begins about 
ten in the morning, and dies away about three or four 
p. M. ; it is, therefore, impossible for vessels to leave the 
harbour in the intermediate time. For two days and a 
night we went on well together, though in order to do so, 
we were frequently obliged to shorten sail. We amused 
ourselves during these two days by talking, unintelligibly 
enough, I must confess, by signals, and we frequently 
found ourselves within hailing distance. On the third 
morning I looked in vain for our " tall friend ;" we had 
burnt a blue-light, during the night, which had been duly 
answered ; but now, not a vestige of her towering masts 
were to be seen, and we had to go on our way alone. 

April 28th. We had some " strong breezes," — reefing, 
especially during the afternoon, when the whirling and 
tumultuous state of the sea gave us some idea of the dan- 
gers of the coast. 

29th. Sighted Bermuda, and " vexed" enough was the 



GULF OF MEXICO. 281 

sea that surrounds her hundreds of islands. After making 
pilot-signals for a long time, a black man at length put 
off from the shore in one of the beautiful 'Mudian boats, 
and told us he was a Queen's pilot. It was, however, so 
late in the afternoon, that he refused to take us into the 
liarbour till next morning ; and accordingly, we kept him 
on board, tacking about all night. At five o'clock the 
next morning he took us in, and we anchored off the ad- 
miral's house ; our first inquiry was for the flag-ship ; she 
had not arrived, and I rather triumphed, I acknowledge, 
at our having won the race, particularly in the stormy 
weather we had encountered, and having latterly been 
running before the wind. We found ourselves very much 
exposed, in St. George's Harbour, to the force of the wind ; 
and, as we intended to remain some days at the Bermu- 
das, we shifted our quarters, almost immediately, to Ha- 
milton, the principal town. The navigation, through 
hundreds of rocks and islands, is difficult, but very beau- 
tiful ; it really seemed like some dream of beauty, the 
water being so clear that you could see the pebbly bot- 
tom : and then the coral rocks and the cedar groves ! it 
was, indeed, a bright and fairy scene ; and when I think 
of it now, in this cold climate, and matter-of-fact country, 
how I long to be tliere with those I love about me, again 
to realize the visions of the past, and spend my existence 
in that bright land of poetry and romance. 

Hamilton is a pretty, clean town, situated close to the 
w^ater ; the houses are all white, and there are hills rising 
behind them, dotted with villas, and interspersed with ce- 
dar trees. 

We went on shore almost immediately after our arri- 
val, and hired a carriage to take us up to the admiral's 
house, in order to acquaint Lady Adam of our having so 
recently parted company with the flag-ship. There is a 
very pretty view from the house ; and the garden, which 
is kept with great care, is fiill of flowers. 

During our visit, the Illustrious came in sight. It was 
24* 



282 TEXAS AND THE 

Sunday ; and, in the course of our drive, we had a good 
opportunity of forming- our opinion of the appearance of 
the Bermudian population. Tlie churches were very nu- 
merous, and every one we met was on his or her way to 
some place of worship. The blacks are, in general, quite 
as well-dressed as the whites, and are particularly civil 
and well-conducted, touching their hats in a courteous 
way, which reminded one of old England. The supply 
of fresh water is very limited, and I was told that the rea- 
son for painting the houses white was that the rain-water, 
of which every drop is of value, may not, in its descent 
from the roofs, come in contact with any dirty or disco- 
louring substance. The roads are excellent, and well- 
kept ; being made chiefly of granite, taken from the many 
picturesque rocks which are interspersed among the cedar 
woods. 

I should say that the inhabitants of Bermuda were in- 
veterately idle ; by far the greater proportion are very 
poor and live mostly on fish. Boat-building is the most 
common trade, and that seems very much overstocked. 
A great many whales are taken at Bermuda during the 
season, and several were caught during our stay. 

On Monday we took a pleasant drive about the island, 
during which I saw, among other curious things, a large 
natural tank, hollowed out in the granite rocks, and filled 
with salt water; it was full of fish of diiferent kinds, 
some of a very large size. The fish called groupers 
were the most numerous ; there were others of brilliant 
and beautiful colours, particularly the "angel-fish," co- 
vered with blue and silver ; we saw them fed, and it was 
wonderfiil to mark so closely the habits of these monsters 
of the deep ; they came up to the surface of the water, 
opening their enormous jaws, and then rolled over again, 
making room for some huge companion to take his turn. 

Tuesday ; this morning we went on shore to pay a 
visit to Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy is the 
government secretary, and his house and gardens would 
really, in any country, be a model of good taste, comfort, 



GULF OF MEXICO. 283 

and beauty. Such a profusion of flowers I never saw, — 
gorgeous flowers from between the tropics, roses from 
France, all Knight's and Colville's choicest houses ran- 
sacked for sweets and beauty. I know little about 
flowers, their scientific names or their natures, but I do 
know that none ever seemed to me so beautiful as those 
I saAv in Mrs. Kennedy's exquisite garden. Imagine 
hedges of the rich double pomegranate ; roses, in whose 
thick foliage and glowing blossoms you might lose yoiir- 
self; and such geraniums ! The sweet-rose, the scarlet 
intermingled with heliotropes and verbenas, and all wild 
and uncultured. 

The kitchen-gardens are no less worthy of notice ; 
every sort of vegetable, growing to a perfection I rarely 
have seen before ; and though so early in the year, there 
were beans, peas, cauliflowers, and young potatoes. 

All these things are pleasant, but a kind welcome is 
pleasanter far, and that is a luxury one is sure to meet 
with at Rose Bank. We took a long drive to-day, first 
to the house of the Bishop of Newfoundland, who had 
previously honoured the Dolphin with a visit, and who 
promised to show me the view from his house, as well as 
the famed sea-grape which flourishes near it. The day 
was hot, but not so much so as to be disagreeable ; and 
though the carriage indeed was rough and the horse 
stumbled, I nevertheless enjoyed the excursion, for it was 
a new country, and novelty has always its charm. There 
is a very steep ascent before arriving at the residence of 
the bishop, but the prospect from it amply repays one for 
the toil. 

After a walk of about half a mile from the house to the 
sea-beach, we seated ourselves beneath the shade of one 
of those peculiar trees, the sea-grape. In growth they 
resemble ancient fig-trees ; having the same rough, bold 
branches and broad-Ieaves, far apart from each other; 
when I visited the spot, the leaves, which are very thick, 
large, and broad, were shaded into red of different hues, 
and the remains only of the berries were hanging from 



284 TEXAS AND THE 

the branches. I sat down beneath them with my agree- 
able companion, and our imaginations naturally wan- 
dered to the magical creation of nature's " favourite son." 
We made up our minds that it was at this particular spot 
that Prospero sojourned, and Miranda first saw the "brave 
form," she thought a spirit. We fixed upon the place 
where " quaint Ariel" gently did his " spiriting," and 
even discovered the tree from which his master freed 
him. It was but the imagination of an idea, yet still it 
seemed tangible and clear. 

I never felt any climate so enjoyable as that of these 
lovely islands, at the period of our visit. There were 
many beautiful plants and shrubs which I have seen 
nowhere else. The inhabitants, however, seem, most of 
them, to be too indolent and too tasteless to care much 
about these sweet favourites of nature. 

The time had now arrived when we were to leave 
these wooded islands. Enchanting indeed were the days 
we spent among their " sunny waves," and " bowers," 
and " breezy hills," and now we are afloat again on the 
" old majestic sea." On the occasion of our coming to 
Hamilton, I had seen nothing of the scenery through 
which the schooner had passed, it being so early in the 
morning ; but now, to make me amends, I saw it all in 
perfection. Winding through the narrow channels, formed 
by coral rocks and cedar-wooded banks, through water so 
clear and so shallow, that you could distinctly make out 
the shells and shining gravel at the bottom, the yacht 
glided on towards Ireland harbour ; and now 

" The noontide sun a splendour pours, 
And lights up all these leafy shores." 

And after a voyage far too short, we found ourselves at 
Ireland island. It is very pretty here; and as we in- 
tended to remain a day, the gig was ordered to be 
manned, and we set out on a long cruising expedition 
about the islands. Somerset was our first point, and 
there we landed, and roamed about the rocks, picking up 



GULF OF MEXICO. 285 

shells and coral. We passed the " Haunted Island," 
which no 'Mudian will go within sight of, after dark, 
and then paid a visit to the dockyard, which did not 
seem to me much worth seeing. There were a great 
many convicts, several of whom, I was told, were com- 
paratively rich men ; indeed they can all earn a com- 
fortable existence by the manufacture of pretty little toys 
and ornaments of coral. 

The Electra, man-of-war corvette, had arrived at Ire- 
land Island the day before, and we went on board. It 
was impossible for even a landswoman not to be struck 
by her extreme beauty, and the care and evident atten- 
tion which were paid to the most trifling minutias of her 
personal appearance. The Dolphin was lying alongside 
the flag-ship, and was kindly permitted to take in a 
supply of water from the latter ; a long operation, which 
was performed during our absence, for we did not return 
till after dusk. 

Some of the officers of the flag-ship dined with us on 
board — a parting visit, for we intended to sail at day- 
break. The evening was enlivened by cheerful music 
from our giant neighbour, and we separated at a late 
hour. 

A pilot was taken on board, and I was awoke at five 
o'clock in the morning by the sounds attendant on de- 
parture. I rose, and dressed immediately ; and having 
in my mind the many wonderful anecdotes I had heard 
of Bermudian pilots, and of their taking ships through 
aarrow rocky channels, I was eager to have my curiosity 
^ratified. The wind was directly ahead, and it was conse- 
-]uently necessary to beat out of the narrow channel. The 
3ilot said he had never taken a vessel, any thing like the 
;ize of the yacht, out of the harbour with a head wind, and 
she had thus an opportunity of displaying some of her good 
jualities. It frequently occurred, that when the forepart 
)f the schooner was almost touching a buoy, her stern 
vas within a foot of one of the myriads of rocks which 
nark the channel. The difficulty of surmounting all 



286 TEXAS AND THE 

these dangers must be very great, and the power of doing- 
so only to be acquired by long practice and experience. 
Soon after we had discharged our pilot, we saw a whale 
at some distance from us. On looking towards the 
shore, we perceived that the presence of one of these 
monsters of the deep was known there also, for a whale- 
boat was putting off with all despatch. 

On rolled the creature, his great black sides turning up 
and over, in his awkward disportings, while every now 
and then he rose up in the air, and a spout of water darted 
up from his nose. I was, I confess, anxious to witness a 
strife between the whalers and their prey, but I was 
destined to be disappointed. The whale got into deep 
water, too far off for the whalers, who never go to any 
distance to sea to overtake them. The weather was fine 
and moderate, and once out of the harbour, the wind was 
tolerably favourable. 

And now, we were fairly off for England ! yes, 

" Homeward now the boundiug vessel flies." 



CHAPTER XXXIL 

The Azores — Terceira — Appearance of Fayal from the sea — 
Scilly Islands — Eddystone lighthouse — Portland — The North 
Foreland — Conclusion. 

A various scene the wide-spread landscape yields 
O'er rich enclosures, and luxuriant fields. 

TiCKELL. 

May, 17th. Sighted the Azores; — the island of Pico on 
the leeward bow, and in the afternoon we passed close to 
Terceira. The coast seemed pretty, I thought, the most 
distinguishiiig feature being an immense conical-shaped 
mountain. The hills are in very picturesque arrange- 
ment, and are ornamented with many white, and good- 



GULF OF MEXICO. 287 

sized houses. We were becalmed for some time off these 
islands, and had thus an opportunity of seeing as much of 
Fayal as could be seen from the sea. With the help of 
a good glass we could make out both animate and inani- 
mate objects very distinctly. After this calm, we had 
some rather strong winds, but they were in our favour, 
and we dashed home at the rate of nine and ten knots an 
hour. 

On the 24th of May, after a wonderfully-short passage 
from Bermuda, we sighted that Scilly Islands, and greeted 
a misty view of English land. There was a very heavy 
swell, and a cold drizzling rain falling. 

The next day in the forenoon, we passed the Eddy- 
stone lighthouse, and fell in with many " outward bound- 
ers." Ungraceful merchant ships, laden doubtless with 
rich stores for all parts of the known world, were to be 
seen in all directions ; and more than once we were 
hailed ; to know our name, and whence we came. 

The weather was essentially English, — an English 
May ! The sea, cold and dark, reflected the cheerless 
clouds ; and through the tliick, wet air, dismal-looking 
gulls were flying heavily. It was a discouraging pros- 
pect, and nothing but the thoughts of home could prevent 
one continually drawing comparisons very unfavourable 
to our country's chmate. In the afternoon we passed 
Portland Lighthouse, and saw green fields and pleasant 
hedge-rows. Here we met the " lone fisher on the lonely 
sea, who, in the wild waters had been labouring, far from 
home, for some bleak pittance." For a dollar, the only 
species of coin we possessed, we purchased as much fish 
as would have supplied a meal to a ship's company, and 
greatly did we enjoy it. Soon after this we passed a fleet 
of fishing-boats, and sent letters on shore, too happy in 
the thought that we were sparing a few hours of anxiety 
to those who had so long been looking out for us. 

25th. We passed the North Foreland, and felt that we 
were at home. The little schooner, after her long and 
distant career, had returned in safety ; and though we had 



288 TEXAS AND THE GULF OF MEXICO. 

encountered more than our due share of severe gales and 
stormy weather, scarcely a sail or a spar had been carried 
away, and not a single sea had been shipped. That this 
had been so, may be attributed as much to the excellent 
seaworthy qualities of the yacht, as to the skill and un- 
wearying attention of her officers and crew. But now 
how quietly we glided up the river I Our troubled, but 
joyous course over the wild waves was over, and the dull 
stream bore us on its sullen waters I 

I could have grieved for the blue seas and the bluer 
skies that we had left behind us, but that I looked forward 
to happy meetings with long-parted friends, and thought, 
with still deeper gratitude, on the Power which had pre- 
served us through the many dangers which threaten 
those " that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their 
business in great waters." 

But our voyage up the river is ended, and preparations 
are making for leaving the yacht. I look romid upon the 
hardy crew, who have shared our dangers ; and foolish as 
it may seem, feel something very like a heaviness of 
heart, when I remember that I shall never see the ship- 
mates of so many months collected together on that deck 
again. But still more do I regret to part from my home 
upon the waters — from the gallant vessel that has borne 
us in triumph through so many storms and dangers. 



THE END. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





014 645 489 6 



